The Twin
by altiversewatcher
Summary: AU. Takes place in a world where Harry has a twin and his parents never died.
1. chapter 1

Title: the Twin  
  
Author: bitmaxmouse  
  
Rating: pg to pg-13 (so far)  
  
Summary: AU. Takes place in a world where Harry has a twin and his parents never died.   
  
A/U note: Sorry if there's... problems with the grammar, my brain likes to get ahead of my fingers and sometimes I miss things. I do hope you enjoy the overall plot.   
  
R&R please?  
  
~~~  
  
Harry had always been told that the trauma of encountering Voldemort made him reclusive. But he knew that it didn't exactly add up because Jerry was standing right next to him in the crib and he is just fine, save for the lightning scar on his forehead. On that fateful night, their parents had been out meeting Sirius and Remus. So they hired a sitter, who wasn't very smart seeing how she opened the door without even checking who was on the other side. And just their luck, it happened to be Voldemort. He immediately killed the sitter in a flash of green light and then he rushed upstairs to the twins.   
  
When the Aurors found them, they were both crying and Jerry had the lightning bold scar on his head and Voldemort laid unmoving on the floor next to them. And after that day Jerry was celebrated as the Wizarding World's Hero.   
  
Although they were twins, they were the complete opposites of each other. Jerry was strong, impulsive, and overly loquacious. He had short buzz cut hair, which suited his athletic build and he had perfect eye sight… James loved Jerry and practically doted on him because of his fame and not to mention, he had more interest in Quidditch than Harry did. Sometimes, James made it so obvious that he loved Jerry more that it made Harry sick.  
  
One would have thought that since James loved Jerry more, Lily would have been closer to Harry.. Well, she wasn't really. After the 'incident' Lily became one of those paranoid parents who thought everything was wrong with their children. She thought that Voldemort cast some sort of strange 'mental' curse Harry. And although Jerry was there, she always thought that Jerry was normal and Harry wasn't.   
  
Anyways, she constantly had Medi-witch and wizard head doctors come into their house to psychoanalyze Harry. The results were varying and each came up with a more fantastical story than another, which then needed a bunch of special potions in order to cure. Harry could have sworn that he spent half his life drugged up on various potions he shouldn't have been taking.  
  
Ever since the moment he could communicate with his parents, he kept telling them that nothing was wrong with him and that he just wanted to be left alone. And over time he became antisocial and indulged in books. Moreover he had gotten used to standing in Jerry's shadow and he really didn't want to hear his parents compare him to his twin and then ask him why he couldn't be like Jerry . Every time they made a comment like that, it felt like someone was carving pieces out of him.   
  
After a while, even before the age of five, he began to develop a distance from his parents and found himself struggling to be as independent as possible.   
  
He wasn't good looking and strong like Jerry. The medical potions seemed to have stunted his growth, since a lot of them made him not want to eat for days. He had longish hair tied in a ponytail, which James would sometimes pull on or call him a 'girl' over. He was pale because he didn't like to go out where Jerry was.   
  
Jerry was a less than ideal brother, at school he would get his friends and gang up on Harry and at home he spent all his time outside with James bonding. Once Harry found himself thinking that they were constantly outside putting on a show for the camera people that liked to come over too much. The reporters really annoyed Harry, but his father seemed to enjoy them, he even invited a few to tea once.  
  
  
  
Although Harry looked like James, they didn't really get along. They lived under the same roof for nearly eleven years and hardly knew each other. Harry knew why, It was all because of that incident that happened when Harry as six. Dr. Riventhol was looking at Harry this time and James just happened to be home because it was a holiday. He had gone over to the living room to see the session, he saw that Harry was hunched over. He made an annoyed sound and walked over to put a hand on Harry's shoulder, intending on telling him to sit with his back straight.   
  
Harry's reaction was extremely unexpected: he flinched and twisted away until he was as far as possible from his father's hand. The psychiatrist had then said, "How unusual. I'm sorry to ask this Mr. Potter, but do you physically harm your son? Abused children usually react like this."  
  
James was so stunned and so angry that he threw the psychiatrist out and then proceeded to yell at Harry for the next few hours. Harry just sat at the table, mute and stiff. Moreover, unlike normal children, Harry didn't even cry, he just stared blankly, retreating into own imaginary world. After James was done, Harry looked up timidly and asked, "May go now?"  
  
The truth was, Harry didn't like his father touching him because it was almost like a stranger touching him. Once he had told a psychologist that he wasn't sure how he'd feel if his father died because he didn't really know him. He didn't want to sound cruel, but it was true, he didn't have any sort of feelings or connection with his father. Just complete detachment.   
  
The only parent he seemed to 'care' for was his mother, but then he also wasn't sure if he 'loved' her. On the first day of school, unlike the other kids who wanted their mothers, he found himself yearning to go home to his room full of books. He was a lot smarter than Jerry, but he never let on to his parents about it, he was afraid that it would be another thing that they would use to wonder what was wrong with him.  
  
Unfortunately at the age of nine, one of the psychologists, Dr. Branherst, noticed this. Harry was tired and he really wanted to get the session over with so he started down the list of problems past doctors had told him he had, making sure to say their Latin names perfectly and defining each one. Then he told the doctor that since he had told him all the problems he had, he didn't need to be here any longer.   
  
The doctor had stared bewildered, saying, "How did you do that?"  
  
"How did I do what?"  
  
"You probably just have exceptional memory don't you little Harry."  
  
"I have normal memory, and it's just Harry. I know I'm small compared to my brother, but…"  
  
"Yes… your brother, let's talk about him."  
  
"Didn't I already tell you what's wrong with me? Y-you can go now, the other doctors already saved you the trouble and diagnosed me." Harry quickly replied, almost begging for him to leave.  
  
"Well, not every one practices psychology the same way."  
  
"So now you want to add onto that list? Look, it's obvious that I'm a messed up kid, can't you just leave me alone? I promise I'm not suicidal or anything. I'm just really tired of all this and I'd like to get on with my life without people constantly telling me what a freak I am."  
  
"Do you think you're a freak?"  
  
"No, I'm saying it for your benefit." Harry replied unkindly.   
  
"Now Harry, there's no need for that."  
  
"How much are my parents paying you anyways. I bet it's a lot, which is why you feel obligated to finish my session."  
  
"Can we not detract from the point?" The doctor said, almost nervously. "Now about your brother."  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"How do you feel about him."  
  
"You're going to have to be more specific."  
  
"Do you like him."  
  
"Not particularly."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Just 'cause…" Harry replied, but he could tell the analyst wasn't buying his answer.   
  
Harry gave an annoyed sigh, "Jerry likes to pick on me at school and at home. He steals my stuff, shoves me in the hallway, blames everything he did wrong on me. I read about it, it's just sibling rivalry and it's just a bit stronger between us okay?"  
  
"So you understand the concept of sibling rivalry."  
  
"Yeah… who doesn't?"  
  
"Most kids your age don't."  
  
Harry shrugged, "Most kids my age are stupid."  
  
"Do you have friends?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I just find them kind of boring."  
  
"Is it also because you think they aren't as intelligent as you are?"  
  
"All they want to play is Quidditch and exploding snaps. I have better things to do."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Just stuff. I like to read."  
  
"Yes, I got that impression. What do you like to read?"  
  
"Anything, everything. I'm one of the only kids under ten who has a library card to the local library. The librarian got sick of me begging her to let me take a few books home." Harry said, looking a bit amused at the memory.  
  
"Can I see some of your books?"  
  
Harry blinked and then nodded and went upstairs to grab some books. He came back down with a large stack, "Sorry, theses are only a few, but they're the ones I read the most often."  
  
The doctor's eyes widened as he picked up the bent and over read copy of "Art of War.". He held it up, "You can't possibly underst- "  
  
"Well, sort of, I go on mum's computer if there's parts I don't understand and I look it up. A lot of people made notes on this book and made it easier to read."  
  
"Why do you read it?"  
  
"I was hoping there was a better way to get around being beat up by my brother, I don't know, it doesn't really work all that often. Maybe I'm not reading it correctly."  
  
The doctor looked through the books, "'Hogwarts, a History', 'Encyclopedia of Spells and their History', 'A Collection of Merlin's writings', 'The Grindelwald and Voldemort wars'…"   
  
The doctor stopped and held up the thick leather book, "Why are you interested in this?"  
  
"Why not? I was there when my brother defeated him. And besides even I'm baffled as to why he survived the Killing curse. We're both supposed to be dead."  
  
"You know about the Unforgivables?"  
  
Harry shrugged, "Yeah, I thought it was common knowledge."  
  
"The schools don't tell you about them. Most kids 'shouldn't' know"  
  
"Oh, well, I guess I got it from my readings."  
  
The doctor finally put the book down and then picked up the second to last book, 'Salazar Slytherin, the Parseltongue'.   
  
The shrink blinked, "What's this for?"  
  
"In the Grindelwald and Voldemort book, I read that Voldemort was a Parseltongue, and I wasn't sure what that meant. So I decided to look in this book, and after reading a while, I found it kind of interesting. So I just kept reading."  
  
The doctor thought for a moment and then decided to ask a weighty question, "Do you agree with his views?"  
  
Harry shrugged, "Not really, I guess he's just kind of biased…. I think Muggles are a lot smarter than Wizards give them credit for."  
  
The doctor finally picked up the last book called, 'Twentieth century technology.'. He had never heard of this book. "What's this?"  
  
"It's a book of Muggle technology through the last century, it's absolutely fascinating. If I were a Muggle and had better eyesight, I'd be a astronaut in a heartbeat."  
  
"As-tro-not?"  
  
"Yeah, they're these Muggle scientists that go into outer space. Of course, I can't because I don't have perfect vision, but I think making the space craft would be bloody amazing in itself."  
  
The psychologist nodded, looking a the pictures of men floating around in the compartment of the shuttle. He really didn't know very much about the Muggle world so he wasn't so sure about what Harry was talking about…But one thing was clear… Harry was very gifted.   
  
Later, after a few more questions, he let Harry go back to his room and he went into the kitchen to discuss the session with Harry's parents.  
  
"I think you should take Harry to take the WIT (Wizarding Intelligent Test)."  
  
"Oh no," Lily cried, "Are you saying that he's behind too?"  
  
The doctor gaped. Was it possible that Harry's parents didn't know a thing about how intelligent their son was?"  
  
"Uh, no. In fact he talks like a mature adult. This is a bit surprising, since most children aren't even mature until they're around ten or eleven. You are aware that he reads a lot of far advanced books for his age."  
  
Lily and James looked at each other, "He does? We just knew he liked to hole himself up in his room a lot."  
  
"Don't you ever check up on him?"  
  
"He doesn't like to be bothered."  
  
The doctor nodded slowly, "I see. Well, after you have Harry take the WIT, I do suggest maybe getting him a tutor or sending him to a school for gifted children. It's obvious that he doesn't get along very well with the other kids because their mental capacities are so different."  
  
Lily and James looked surprised, "Uh, alright, we'll have him tested right away. And then we'll see what we can do… but I'm sure that Harry's happy at school…"  
  
"Really? Does he tell you this?"  
  
"No, Jerry says so, he's such a good boy, always looking out for Harry and all that."  
  
The doctor suddenly froze, realizing the situation. "I see. Well, just consider it."  
  
"Yes we will doctor. Thank you."  
  
Meanwhile, Harry was upstairs magically changing all the titles on his textbooks so that his parent wouldn't believe the doctor. He was hoping that Dr. Branherst would keep it to himself, instead of blathering away all of Harry's secrets.   
  
A week later, the test results came in and they said that Harry was actually between an only less than average and average seven year old. James grumbled, "I knew that guy was a fake. We've been his parents all these years, of course we'd notice if Harry was a genius."  
  
"Don't get yourself worked up over this. It's not your fault Harry isn't really smart like Jerry is. Oh! By the way, did you see Jerry's report card, his teachers all say he's such a wonderful boy…."  
  
And that's how it went… 


	2. chapter 2

Years passed and on the day Jerry and Harry turned eleven, they received their Hogwarts letters. Jerry snickered as he watched his younger twin brother open the letter, ''Awww, and I thought you wouldn't get one. You sure don't seem like you have magic.''  
  
It was true, no one in Harry's family had ever seen Harry do magic. It was because Harry only practiced his magic in a deserted field that was in the middle of the forest between his home and school. Ever since he was eight he had been able to do some wandless magic, he had read in the books that this usually only happened to young children who didn't have control over their powers, but as they got used to wands, their wandless ability slowly disappeared. Harry decided to try something, if he could get used to wandless magic early on, maybe he wouldn't lose it once he got his wand.   
  
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when his parents would take Jerry to Quidditch kids league practice, Harry would sneak out of the house with an invisibility cloak and spend about four hours in that field. He would often bring a bunch of books with him. So one of the first spells he learned was the levitation spell and the following charm, which he then would cast on the books every time he went to the forest.   
  
He started to get really good at spells, charms, and even managed a little transfiguration with pebbles. He would turn them into erasers, bouncing balls, and marbles.  
  
However, once he was almost caught by someone. It was in the middle of fall and the deciduous trees left a huge blanket of yellow, orange, and red leaves. Harry decided to have some fun and started to levitate a swarm of leaves around him. He laughed and hopped around while making more leaves follow him, but eventually it got a bit out of hand and created a huge vortex of leaves in the field, which eventually flew up into the sky and above the canopy of trees.   
  
At that moment, he heard an old man yell in the distance, ''Hey! What is that?!''  
  
Harry immediately froze and dove under his father's invisibility cloak and collected his books before the wall of leaves hit the ground. After a moment, the old man hobbled over to the field and looked around. Then he scratched his head and muttered about curses and pixie spirits in the forest before he left.  
  
Harry decided to skip out on training for the next two times, just in case the old man came back to investigate.   
  
He loved going out there, it was his free time... until lately...   
  
Recently, he did something horrible and it was even worse than almost getting caught. In fact, even now, he was nervously expecting a group of Aurors to break the door down and take him away to Azkaban. He didn't mean it. He was just so mad that day after Jerry had beaten him up, then when he tried to tell his parents, they wouldn't hear that their perfect Jerry had done something like that to him. So they said he was just clumsy and fell down the school steps. Most times, Harry would drop it and sulk in his room, but this time, he yelled back that they only loved Jerry and that one day Jerry would do something horrible to him and they wouldn't know until it was too late. James had shot him a cold look and his parents sent him to his room.   
  
Later when they took Jerry to Quidditch practice, Harry found himself at the field again. It was in the middle of spring and it just happened that a circle of butterflies danced around his head. But he was just so mad in that moment and wasn't even thinking.   
  
A butterfly landed onto the page he was reading and he angrily cursed, ''Avada Kevadra.''  
  
He didn't think it would even work. But it did. And not only that, it didn't just kill that one little butterfly on that page, it killed all of it's little friends too.   
  
When Harry realized what he had done, he started to cry. Then in between his sobs, he gently plucked up each dead butterfly and made a small grave for them. He went home tearstained and with dirt all over his hands. He sat in the bathtub until he heard his parents open the door. He then climbed out and locked himself in his room for the rest of the night. But it wasn't like his parents noticed, they had purposely had not brought him his dinner as a means of punishing him.   
  
Harry stared at the Hogwarts letter numbly. What if he did the same thing again? What if it wasn't butterflies this time?  
  
~~~  
  
They had spent the day at Diagon Alley. They had gotten both Harry and Jerry an owl, their school supplies, and finally they stopped in front of Ollivander's. Of course Jerry went first. He got a wand made of unicorn hair and oak. Then it was Harry's turn.  
  
They had gone through about twenty wants and Ollivander was stumped, ''I don't understand...veela hair, dragon heartstring, unicorn hair, mermaid hair... None of them work... unless...''  
  
Ollivander headed to the back and came back with a stack of boxes. ''Here, try Pheonix feathers.''  
  
Harry tried a couple, they still didn't feel right, but they were more comfortable than any of the other wands.   
  
''Is he done yet?'' Jerry whined, which earned him an annoyed glare from Ollivander.   
  
Finally, Ollivander came down to the last box, ''I wonder...''  
  
He handed the wand made of Holly to Harry, ''Try that.''  
  
The moment Harry took hold of the wand, he felt a warm glow and it felt as if all his magic was swarming around and then flowing towards the tip of the wand. Harry gasped, ''Wow.''  
  
Ollivander had a calculating look in his eyes, ''How curious.''  
  
''What is it?'' James intruded.   
  
''That phoenix only gave one other hair, and the owner of that wand gave your brother his scar...''  
  
''He Who Must not be Named.'' Lily gasped, interrupting Ollivander, ''Oh no... no no no, Harry give him back t-the wand!''  
  
Harry held the wand close to him and backed away. ''No.''  
  
''Mrs. Potter, just because young Harry's wand's brother belonged to He Who Must not be Named, it doesn't mean that Mr. Potter will do the same terrible things as him.'' Ollivander replied, he decided to withhold the fact that the wand also indicated that Harry would have great power.   
  
The family paid for the wands and mutely walked out of Ollivanders. No one talked to Harry for the rest of the day.   
  
~~~  
  
Harry found himself on the train early, sitting alone in one of the compartments. Jerry was over with Justin and a few older students talking about Quidditch.   
  
''Please don't let it be the same at school...'' Harry muttered. He could see it now, him hiding in the corners of the school as Jerry and his friends stalked the grounds for him.   
  
''...don't let what be the same?'' A red head boy asked as he stuck his head in, ''Hi! I'm Ron!''  
  
''Hi, Harry Potter.''  
  
''Oh! You're Jerry's twin brother.''  
  
Harry nodded, thinking that Ron would leave once he got bored with him.  
  
Ron grinned, ''Fred and George would love to meet you, they're twins too. Actually it's a bit creepy, they can do stuff like read each other's minds and everything. You and Jerry like that?''  
  
''Uh, not really, actually we don't even look the same.''  
  
''Oh~ You're separate twins. I have cousins who are like that too.''  
  
Harry nodded again.   
  
Ron looked around the empty compartment, ''Mind if I sit?''  
  
''No, not at all.''  
  
Ron gingerly got in and placed a cage with a rat in it next to him, ''That's Scabbers.''  
  
Harry grinned and waved at the rat, ''Hi Scabbers.''  
  
But the rat only squeaked and continued to run in circles around his cage. Ron made a face, ''He's a bit stupid...''  
  
Harry grinned shyly and was about to retort when a girl with bushy hair stuck her head in,   
  
''Has either of you seen Neville's toad?''  
  
Both Harry and Ron shrugged.   
  
''Oh and by the way, I'm Hermione.''  
  
~~~  
  
''So which house do you want to be sorted in.'' Hermione asked, the train was already along it's way and the compartments were now all full.  
  
''Well, I don't know if I have much of a choice. All the Weasleys have always been in Gryffindor. Fred said the hat hardly touched his head and the hat already started with ''Gry- ''  
  
Harry and Hermione laughed.  
  
Ron turned to Hermione, ''What about you?''  
  
''Well, either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. I don't know which, guess it's up to the sorting hat.''   
  
''And you Harry?''  
  
Harry shrugged, ''I have no idea?''  
  
''Oh come one, there has to be one you want to be in.''  
  
''Umm... well, I'm sort of hoping I won't get into the same house as my brother is all.''  
  
''When you said you two don't get along, you really mean it.''  
  
''I guess, he kind of beats me up all the time at school.''  
  
''That's horrible!'' Hermione exclaimed.   
  
Harry shrugged and replied weakly, ''Yeah...''  
  
''Okay, we'll both pray you guys don't get sorted into the same house.'' Ron said  
  
Harry grinned, ''Thanks.''  
  
~~~  
  
Harry spared an annoyed glance at Jerry, who was sitting in one of the first boats and just couldn't shut up. You could even tell that the jolly groundskeeper was getting weary of listening to Jerry.   
  
Harry sighed.   
  
Eventually, they reached the shore and took the stone steps up to the castle. Harry grinned as he heard voiced coming from the large hall up ahead. It sounded like the rest of the students were already waiting.   
  
Then in the corner of his eye, he spotted Jerry pushing and shoving to get to the very front of the group, and thus causing the platinum blond boy to lose his footing and fall backwards.   
  
Harry quickly dove forward and caught him. The blonde was furious, his hand quickly went into his robe and pulled his out his wand, getting ready to hex Jerry. Harry quickly reacted by plucking the wand from Draco's hand. Draco spun around and was about to start railing on Harry when Harry quickly covered his mouth and pointed at the stern looking teacher at the top of the stairs.   
  
Draco visibly deflated and stood stiffly next to Harry, hissing ''Give me back my wand.''  
  
''Sorry, I didn't want you to get in trouble.''  
  
''Shut up and just give me my damn wand.'' Draco growled. Harry quickly handed the wand back to Draco and took a few steps away from him.   
  
Draco was about to say something when Professor McGonagall motioned for the students to follow her and Harry disappeared into the crowd of first years.   
  
Soon, the sorting started and Draco didn't see Harry until Harry was called up and he was already sitting at the Slytherin table.   
  
''Potter, Harry'' McGonagal announced. Harry walked over and put the hat on.   
  
''Hmm... interesting.'' The hat said.  
  
''I've been hearing that a lot.'' Harry retorted.  
  
''Cheeky too.''  
  
''Sorry.''  
  
''Hmm... uh huh... intelligent, cunning, but brave too. You'd suit Slytherin or Gryffindor. Slytherin could lead you to greatness...''  
  
''Um, I don't know. Either is fine. Whichever you think is best.''  
  
''Alright then.'' The sorting hat told him. Then it cleared it's throat and yelled out, ''Slytherin!''  
  
Harry got off the school and walked over to the table. When he finally seated himself he looked up at the teacher's table and found the Headmaster looking at him. Dumbledore wasn't smiling, in fact, he looked a bit disturbed.  
  
Harry gulped and looked back down at his plate. 'Please go away, please stop looking at me.' He kept thinking, hoping that the headmaster would stop staring at him.   
  
Next, Jerry was called up and then sorted in Gryffindor. The Headmaster was now looking at Jerry with a twinkle in his eyes and when Jerry looked back, the Headmaster subtly toasted him.   
  
Harry wasn't sure why, but after watching that, he liked the Headmaster even less.  
  
~~~  
  
''Mum and Dad are going to kill you.'' Jerry hissed to Harry as they exited the Great Hall after dinner. Harry winced and cowered away from Jerry.  
  
''Who knew you were the Boy Who Lived's little brother.'' Malfoy said with a wicked calculating grin on his face. Harry glanced at him warily and moved through the group of Slytherins so that he could get away from Draco.   
  
''Our Head of House, Professor Snape will now have a word with all of you.'' One of the Slytherin Prefects said, as he stopped the group in the common room.   
  
Professor Snape entered the room dramatically with a swirl of robes and glared down at the Slytherins, ''I expect that this new batch of first years will do well and not humiliate my house with immature behavior. If I hear of any problems from any of you within the first week, I can assure you that you will contend with me. Is that clear?''  
  
''Yes sir.'' The student replied.   
  
''Good. I expect to win the House Cup this year. Which means you will all do you best not to make fools of yourselves in class so that the other members of the staff may take points. Moreover, I will not tolerate laziness, stupidity, or any sort of Gryffindor-ish behavior. Understood?'' Snape continued, his eyes searching the crowd and eventually his eyes landed right on Harry Potter.  
  
''Yes sir.'' Harry said, feeling the burn of Snape staring at him. It felt weird, like Snape was in trying to get in his head. Harry frowned and blocked out the intruding feeling.  
  
Snape then gave him an odd look, but then turned back to the rest of the students.''Good, now get to your rooms. I don't want to hear you past eleven tonight.''  
  
The Slytherins quickly scattered and made for their rooms.  
  
~~~  
  
''Did you see that?'' Ron said pointed at Harry, ''I never in my mind thought he would be put into Slytherin. He didn't seem the evil slimy type.''  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's shallowness, ''Ron, you know you're stereotyping them. Not all Slytherins are bad.''  
  
''Oh yeah?''  
  
''Yes Ron. If they ended up all bad, there wouldn't be a Slytherin House. Think! Look, I think Harry might have been sorted in because he's sort of reclusive, doesn't talk or interact with people very much. It's sort of a Slytherin trait to be antisocial. I don't know if he would have fit into Gryffindor very well, I mean... we're sort of loud.''  
  
''Nuh uh!'' Ron tried to deny, ''And what about Neville! He hardly ever says anything.''  
  
''You ever hear the phrase, ''Actions speak louder than words?''''  
  
Suddenly Ron recalled the scene Neville made as the tried to sit down, he had managed to clumsily send his plate crashing to the floor.  
  
''Harry's not bad Ron, he proved as much on the train. Just give him a chance.''  
  
~~~  
  
''I can't believe I got sorted into Slytherin,'' Harry confined to Hermione and Ron quietly outside of the Great Hall, so that the other Slytherins wouldn't hear him. He was thankful that they weren't treating him like a pariah for being sorted in Slytherin.   
  
''Cheer up Harry.'' Hermione said helplessly, ''At least you won't be in the same house as your brother right?''  
  
''Yeah, but the Slytherins look like they're ready to eat me for dinner'' He replied weakly.   
  
''Yeah, you got to be careful.'' Ron said.   
  
''Thanks.'' Harry replied softly.  
  
''You sure they can't re-sort?'' Ron asked.   
  
Hermione shot him a look, ''Haven't you read Hogwarts, a History?''  
  
Ron made a face, ''That again. 'arry, you know she's said ''Hogwarts, a History'' fifteen times already since we came here.''  
  
Harry laughed a bit, ''Well, it's not that bad. It's kind of interesting.''  
  
Ron gaped as Hermione shot him a smug look. ''You see?''  
  
''The both of you are barmy.''  
  
''Hey Potter! What are you doing talking to a bunch of Gryffindorks?'' Draco Malfoy called from doorway.   
  
Harry visibly cringed and mouthed, 'Sorry' to the two. Hermione whispered, ''It's okay, we'll see you later alright?''  
  
''Yeah, try not to get killed.'' Ron piped in quietly.   
  
Harry nodded and then turned around to follow after Draco.   
  
''You know you shouldn't associate with the wrong people Potter.''  
  
Harry zoned out a bit, something he used on his psychiatrists if he didn't want to deal with them, and nodded blankly.   
  
Draco kept going on about how stupid Gryffindors were, but the words just went over Harry's head. After a while, Draco paused and stared at Harry's blank eyes, ''You alright? You look a bit weird.''  
  
'''m fine.'' Harry replied monotonously.   
  
Draco gave Harry a warily look and stopped talking to him for the rest of the meal.  
  
~~~  
  
A/N: I know in the book, Draco is the world's biggest prat. But I remember reading a discussion where Draco's attitude was : 1) exaggerated because it is only seen through the eyes of Harry, who's very susceptible since he's been locked away so long. 2) so antagonistic because of that one simple moment when Harry initially 'rejected' him at Madam Malkin's. So, I'm approaching this as if Harry hadn't rejected Draco, so Draco doesn't feel any sort of malevolent dislike towards him.   
  
Moreover, I have read in so many stories where Ron is uncharacteristically biased towards the Slytherins to the point that it was unreal. I'd like to think that Ron is a reasonable person, even at the age of eleven. Molly and Aurthur don't seem the type to brainwash and badmouth any sort of people. Perhaps they would give a warning here and there to be careful, but never hateful diatribes towards particular people. If you notice in the second book, even Aurthur's actions towards Lucius are reserved because he doesn't want to set a bad example.  
  
A/N2: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. 


	3. chapter 3

For once Harry was absolutely grateful that that Jerry was the one that that 'saved the Wizarding world', because apparently Snape wouldn't have even cared if Jerry was the son of Merlin. In fact Snape was slowly stalking over to Jerry murmuring, ''Mr. Potter, our new celebrity.''  
  
Jerry glared at him defiantly, ''Yeah, you have a problem with that?''  
  
Harry winced at his brother's big mouth. Snape wasn't fazed, in fact, his wicked sneer had grown larger and he looked like an enormous bat ready to come down and kill a stupid foolhardy mouse that squeaked too loud.   
  
''Well, it seems that Mr. Potter's fame had gotten to his head. Let's see... Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"  
  
Jerry's eyes darted around, not knowing the answer, Hermione quickly raised her hand, hoping to answer the question.  
  
''You don't know? Well let's try again. Where Mr. Potter would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?   
  
Hermione was just about to raise her hands again when Harry subtly shook his head and then made a cutting motion near his neck at her. Hermione quickly lowered her hand.   
  
''Clearly fame isn't everything Mr. Potter.'' Snape finished.   
  
However, Professor Snape, who noticed everything, had caught Harry's earlier subtle motion. He quickly turned and stalked over to Harry, ''Ah, and how could I forget the other Potter. Riding on the famous coattails of your brother are you?''  
  
''N-no sir.'' Harry whispered.   
  
"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape suddenly asked.  
  
Harry muttered something quietly.  
  
''Speak up Potter!'' Snape bellowed.   
  
Harry shrank and spoke a bit louder, ''None?''  
  
Snape frowned, thinking it was fluke. But then he continued, ''And what's their other name?''  
  
''A-a-aconite?''  
  
'' Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?''  
  
''S-stomach of a g-gg-goat.'' Harry whispered. He quickly looked over and saw that his brother was glaring at him with pure venom in his eyes.  
  
''And powdered root of asphodel added to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asked.   
  
Harry was shaking now, as he stared over at his brother, he had only seen that look once when Harry accidentally spilled juice on Jerry's homework. He had been locked in the shed for the rest of the day until right before his parents came home. It had happened in the middle of winter and Harry had gotten horribly sick afterwards.  
  
''I can't sir...'' Harry whispered.  
  
Snape suddenly turned around and caught Jerry's glaring, ''Mr. Potter, ten points from Gryffindor for not looking humble for your stupidity.''  
  
Jerry immediately stopped looking at Harry and turned his head to glare at his paper.   
  
Snape turned back to Harry, ''Answer the question.''  
  
''D-draught of Living Death...''  
  
''Very good,'' Snape turned his heads to Gryffindors with a look of malicious glee, ''Twenty points to Slytherin.''  
  
The Gryffindors gaped and mouthed to each other 'that's not fair'.   
  
Snape gave a dramatic turn and made his way to his desk. As he sat down he said, ''Oh Mr. Potter. I want you to stay after class.''  
  
Jerry quickly whipped his head up, ''Uh. But I have ...''  
  
''No not you twit! I mean Harry Potter, I don't deal with dunderheads.''  
  
Jerry waited until Snape turned back to the board and then quickly turned and shot Harry another hateful glare while mouthing, 'I'm going get you.'  
  
~~~  
  
''Do you know why I'm keeping you here?'' Snape said silkily as he approached Harry. He sat down at the corner of the table, right in front of Harry. Harry gulped at the looming figure.   
  
Harry's mouth worked, ''I'm in trouble?''  
  
''No, Mr. Potter. I know for a fact that your brother and his new cronies are waiting for you outside right now. I would not send one of my Slytherins out to face an unfair fight, especially one that humiliated the Gryffindors so well today.''  
  
''I didn't mean it.'' Harry said helplessly. ''Hermione knew the answers too.''  
  
''Hn...'' Snape replied vaguely, ''But I didn't call on her now did I?''  
  
''No sir...''  
  
Snape checked the clock on the wall and then stalked out to the door, soon yelling could be heard.   
  
''Ten more points from Gryffindor from each of you for unnecessary loitering after class. Now get out of my sight!''  
  
There was the sound of a hurried footsteps running away as fast they could. Snape soon went back into the room. ''You may go now Potter. And here's a note, if you don't get to your next class in time.''  
  
Harry took the slip sadly, ''You know, that wasn't necessary Professor Snape.''  
  
''I protect my Slytherins Mr. Potter.''  
  
''No. I mean.'' Harry said quietly, ''I have Quidditch with him next, He'll be waiting for me there too...But thank you.''  
  
With that Harry quietly slipped outside of the room and made his way to his next class. For a brief second back there, Harry considered that Snape had done it out of sheer kindness, but the look of malicious glee on his face as he reentered told him that he had probably actually done it to set up Jerry. Either way, Harry hoped that Jerry wasn't waiting for him out on the Quidditch pitch.   
  
~~~  
  
''Hey mate!'' Ron hissed as he motioned Harry to stand next to the broom that was next to him.  
  
''Hi. Look, about Potions class...'' Harry started  
  
''Nah, it's alright. Bloody prick had it coming to him anyways. No one's stupid to talk back at Snape. Too bad the giant bat didn't eat him.''  
  
Harry looked around, ''Where is he?''  
  
''He's with Coach Hooch right now, he's asking her to make an exception and make him the first First year to be a seeker.'' Ron rolled his eyes, ''That hasn't happened in over two hundred years, I doubt it'll happen.''  
  
Harry shrugged, ''He was in the Quidditch kids league back at home.''  
  
''Yeah, but that's only on low flying brooms and slow movin' bludgers, 'snot the same as real Quidditch.''  
  
Harry shrugged again, he didn't really know very much about Quidditch.   
  
Finally Madamn Hooch came back looking flustered, ''For the last time Mr. Potter, I cannot make an exception for you, I haven't even seen you handle a broom.''  
  
''But if I prove myself?''  
  
''We'll see.''  
  
Jerry grumbled but conceded.   
  
They practiced retrieving the brooms, which Harry was able to do on his first try, to his surprise. Jerry had gone ahead of everyone and was dramatically twirling around in the air, making some of the students stare at him in awe.  
  
Harry shrugged and mounted his broom and levitated carefully in the air. Eventually Ron followed suit and the two of them freely floated around, only a few feet above the ground  
  
Meanwhile, Neville suddenly shot up into the air, hanging onto his broom as he went out of control, flying around the castle, nearly killing himself as he barely missed statues and the sharp edges of the castle. Eventually, his broom ran smack straight into the wall and he toppled down ungracefully with the school's splintered broom.   
  
Hooch immediately rushed over to Neville and ushered him to the hospital. As the group watched Madam Hooch take Neville to see Madam Pomfrey, Malfoy suddenly appeared out of nowhere, holding Neville's Remembrall.   
  
''Give it back Malfoy,'' Hermione yelled out as she stalked over to Draco. But Draco had already gotten on his broom and started to fly up into the sky. Hermione gave a frustrated growl since her flying skills were so poor that she knew she couldn't go after him. She quickly turned and shook Harry's shoulder, ''Can you get it back from him?''  
  
Harry made a face, ''But Malfoy...''  
  
''Come one Harry. It belongs to Neville.''  
  
''I don't want to give Malfoy a reason to kill me...'' Harry started, but Jerry had already flown into the air and was chasing after Draco.   
  
''Give that back!'' Jerry bellowed as he chased after Malfoy, but to no avail since Malfoy was much smaller and lighter than Jerry and thus was able to fly out of his reach easily.   
  
''There, Jerry has it under control.'' Harry tried to say.  
  
But Ron shot him a skeptical look, ''Doesn't look like that from down here mate.''  
  
''Then you do it!'' Ron gave him a look, it had taken Ron a couple of tried to get into the air, while Harry had just floated up smoothly without any trouble.   
  
Harry groaned, ''Fine... but if I die...''  
  
''You won't, you seem to fly pretty steadily.'' Hermione interrupted.  
  
''No, I meant after this when Malfoy drowns me in the toilet.'' Harry muttered and then took to the air to follow after Malfoy.   
  
Harry quickly was trailing behind Jerry as was catching up to Malfoy. As he came up closer, Jerry noticed and growled, ''Oh no you don't, he's mine.''  
  
And made then he made a move to shove Harry off of his broom. But Harry was faster and maneuvered away from Jerry and even managed to get himself closer to Draco.''  
  
Draco turned his head and glared at Harry, ''What? You going to chase me too over stupid Longbottom's Rememberall?''  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, ''Look, it's not a big deal, just give me the damn Rememberall.''  
  
''Then get that oaf off my tail!''  
  
Harry turned around and looked at Jerry, ''Any bright ideas?''  
  
''Hex him.''  
  
''I left my wand down there.'' Harry said, it was the truth, he didn't think that Quidditch needed wands, so he didn't bring it with him.   
  
''You're bloody useless you know that?''  
  
''Here, why don't you hand me the Rememberall...''  
  
''I'm not stupid Potter, you'll leave me here to be chased by that jerk after you take it!''  
  
''Fine, pretend you're handing it off to me, make sure he sees. Promise you'll hand it over afterwards?''  
  
Malfoy nodded and made a cupping shape with his hand and pretended to hand the Rememberall over to Harry. They quickly split off and sure enough, Jerry started to chase Harry.   
  
Harry pulled a lot of dangerous maneuvers as he tried to shake off his brother. Eventually they made their way to the lake. Harry finally decided to make a desperate last minute ditch attempt and plunged straight down towards the lake.   
  
''He's bloody insane!'' Ron screamed as they watched Harry fly straight into the Lake. Jerry was following him right on his tale. Then suddenly at the last minute, Harry pulled out of his plunge and shot up.   
  
''That's a perfect Wronski Feint!'' Dean Thomas shouted in awe;  
  
Moments later, Jerry wasn't able to pull out of his dive and plunged into the lake. Harry was still flying away, not looking behind him, and towards the group, where he finally stopped when the students waved him down. Harry landed on the ground and then collapsed onto his back on the grass.   
  
Draco Malfoy also landed and knelt down by Harry, ''You alright?''  
  
A bit surprised, but appreciative of Draco's concern, Harry gave a weak grin, 'Yeah, I will be after the world stops spinning.''  
  
''Those were some killer moves Harry!'' Ron praised.   
  
Harry smiled at Ron and then looked over at Draco, ''You promised.''  
  
Draco looked like he had sucked a lemon, but he still tossed the Rememberall over to Hermione, ''There you happy?''  
  
''Ecstatic.'' Harry said breathlessly.   
  
Then suddenly a shadow covered him, ''Mr. Potter didn't I tell you and the group to not fly while I was away?''  
  
''Malfoy took Neville's Rememberall'' Ron started, which caused Draco to shoot him a cold glare, but he quickly continued, ''Uh, it was just a joke, he was going to give it back, but Jerry started to chase him and he was sort of stuck. Harry went up and tried to take care of the situation.''  
  
''And where is your brother Harry?'' Madam Hooch asked.  
  
''Uh...''  
  
''Swimming with the Giant Squid.'' One of the Slytherins commented and the rest of them started to snicker.  
  
''Oh dear.'' Madam Hooch sighed and then she grumbled as she got onto her broom and headed towards the lake to retrieve Jerry Potter.   
  
Draco and Harry let out a sigh of relief when another shadow overcast them and the familiar voice of their Head of House spoke, ''Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, come with me.''  
  
~~~  
  
''I can't believe it! Two at once! No one is ever allowed to play Quidditch until their second year. And to think you got it instead of your brother.'' Ron exclaimed.   
  
Harry was smiling at Ron, ''Actually, I'm more happy that I don't have to worry as much about Draco trying to kill me anymore.''  
  
''Yeah, the bloke looked like he was going to snog you silly once you got out of the Headmaster's office.''  
  
Harry suddenly had a wicked smile, ''Who knew annoying Jerry could be so beneficial.''  
  
''Well, I didn't, but I'll sure keep it up if the benefits are this good,'' Draco said, as he came up behind Harry and Ron.   
  
Ron tried to keep his expression neutral, ''So, what position are you?''  
  
''Chaser.'' Draco said, trying not to add a comment, after all the Weasel helped cover up the situation so he wouldn't get in trouble. And Malfoys recognized debts, even the most subtle ones.  
  
''That's bloody wicked.'' Ron said enviously.   
  
''Of course Weasel.'' Draco said, not really realizing that the nickname was infuriating. Ron was about to start yelling at Draco when Harry mouthed to Ron, 'peacock' and winked.   
  
Ron's anger subsided and he smirked. The blonde sure did look like one as he stood there preening over his success.   
  
The warning bell rang.  
  
''Bloody Hell! My class is on the other side of the school!'' Ron yelped and started up the seven long flights of stairs to Transfiguration as Harry and Draco headed down to Herbology.   
  
The good day seemed to end at dinner when Professor Snape came over to Harry after he finished his dinner, ''The Headmaster requires your presence once more.''  
  
Harry quickly got out of his seat and followed his Head of House, ''What is this about.''  
  
Snape's eyes flickered with annoyance, ''I think... your brother.''  
  
Harry winced, and then looked up at his Head of House hopefully, ''Will you be there?''  
  
Snape frowned, ''Now why would you want me to be there?''  
  
Harry looked at the ground, ''I know I'll only get in trouble, they never listen. In their eyes, Jerry can do nothing wrong. Even if I try to explain the situation, Dad will twist it around and make me sound like I did it.''  
  
Snape muttered, ''Typical James Potter.''  
  
Then after a moment of silence, ''Fine.''  
  
''Thank you.'' Harry whispered.  
  
~~~  
  
''What is 'he' doing here?''  
  
''Harry requested that I be here.'' Snape said sternly.  
  
James turned to Harry, ''First you disgrace us by being put into Slytherin and now this?!''  
  
Harry's face contorted in into humiliation as he lowered his head.  
  
''James stop it.'' Lily said, trying to calm her husband down. But she was only half heartedly doing it, she was also quite disappointed in Harry too.  
  
''...And then you injure your brother?! You could have had him killed!''  
  
''He was coming after me! He was trying to hurt me!''  
  
''Nonsense!'' James bellowed.   
  
Soon Albus came back into the room and sat down at the head of the table, ''Mr. James Potter, please calm down. We need to discuss the situation.''  
  
''There is no discussion, we're taking him home so we can discipline him.'' James said as he glared at Harry. Harry whimpered and shrank into his chair.   
  
''James.'' Dumbledore said sternly, ''This is not the way to take care of the situation.''  
  
Finally James sat back and sulked in his chair. Dumbledore finally moved over to the fireplace and called Madam Promfrey to bring over Jerry.   
  
Soon, both Jerry and Madamn Promfrey walked out of the first place. Jerry was purposely exaggerating the limp in his leg even when it was only a small bandage around his ankle.   
  
Jerry looked at Harry contemptuously and sat down between his mother and father.   
  
The sight looked a bit strange. Harry was sitting close to Snape on one side and the rest of the Potter family was sitting on the opposite side.   
  
''Now, we're going to have a small hearing over what happened. I've taken interviews from most of the students who were there at the scene, they said that Draco Malfoy took Neville's Rememberall...Jerry then went after Mr. Malfoy to retrieve the Rememberall and they started to chase each other around the field. Does that sound accurate?'' Albus asked, taking a moment for the reply.  
  
Both Harry and Jerry nodded.   
  
''Alright, it says here that Harry finally took into the sky at Mrs. Hermione Granger's prompting since it looked like the situation wasn't going to be resolved. Harry followed the two. As Harry came closer, young Jerry here tried to push him away...''  
  
''That's a lie!'' Jerry burst out, causing the group to jump.   
  
''I've gotten at least twenty sources saying it wasn't, Mr. Potter. Is there anyway you can explain this?''  
  
''It's all his fault! He's trying to get them to gang up on me.''  
  
''I didn't!'' Harry insisted.   
  
''Why don't you shut up you little twerp!'' Jerry growled at Harry.   
  
Snape suddenly stood up and loomed over Jerry, ''I suggest you keep your comments to yourself Mr. Potter if they are not conducive to the hearing.''  
  
Jerry shut his mouth and looked away. And Snape sat back down.   
  
Albus cleared his throat and continued, ''They say that Harry eventually caught up with Mr. Malfoy and they said something to each other, then Mr. Malfoy's hand stuck out. Some of the spectators said that it looked like Mr. Malfoy was trying to push Harry away.''  
  
''He was just trying to tell me not to get involved.'' Harry quickly said, coming to Draco's defense, he wasn't sure why he did it, but he really didn't want Draco to start hating him again because Dumbledore learned that Jerry's injury was somewhat planned.   
  
''I see.'' Dumbledore scribbled what Harry said down. He held the paper up and continued, ''It then says that the two of you separated and Mr. Jerry Potter started to chase after you.''  
  
''That's because I thought Malfoy had given him the Rememberall.'' Jerry suddenly said.   
  
''Why would you think Malfoy had given it to me. And if I had gotten it, I would have either given it to you or went back down to the group with the ball!''  
  
''Then why were you still running away?''   
  
''Because you still chasing me and I thought you were going to kill me!''  
  
''Nonsense Harry, Jerry would never hurt you.'' Lily suddenly said.   
  
''That's not true, he beat me up school lots of times. It's just that the nurse always mended me up and I knew that if I told you, you wouldn't believe me anyways! Just like now!''  
  
''I've never heard such garbage in my life.'' James growled at Harry.  
  
Snape twitched, this blatant show of favoritism was getting on his nerves. ''Can we go on Albus.''  
  
''Yes Severus, James, please refrain from your outbursts.'' Albus reprimanded lightly. Then he continued, ''The it says that young Harry took a dive towards the water and drew up at the last minute, which then caused young Jerry here to fly straight into the lake.''  
  
Albus paused and then looked up, ''Since there is no 'wrong' party here and it was all a misunderstanding, neither student will be punished. However, I suggest that both Harry and Jerry not goad each other into the same situation again.''  
  
''Wait! That can't be all!'' Jerry suddenly yelled, ''What about that Seeker position! You can't award him that!''  
  
''Unfortunately, the Heads of House are the ones who decide whether the First years are suitable for the position. I only listen and keep a roster of who is playing Quidditch.''  
  
''But can't the Headmaster suspend Quidditch players?'' Jerry suddenly said.   
  
Dumbledore looked at Jerry with less than pleased expression, ''Perhaps, but I will do no such thing. Mr. Snape thinks that Harry has the potential and ability which is why he put him onto the team. Now that is all. This hearing is adjourned.''  
  
Jerry was sent off to his rooms and Harry went back to the Slytherin tower with Professor Snape.  
  
Meanwhile, James was gaping at Harry's retreating figure, he looked over at Lily and whispered, ''Harry, a First year seeker? No one's made that exception for two hundred years.''  
  
''I-I don't know.'' Lily replied, just as confused as he was.  
  
''How could I have not seen?''  
  
''He never showed any interest in Quidditch.''   
  
''Yes, well...but what about Jerry?''  
  
''Albus did say Head of House, perhaps we could tell Jerry to talk to Professor McGonagall?''  
  
''Yes...yes, we'll have him talk to Minerva.''  
  
~~~  
  
''Well, it doesn't seem like your father has made any sort of mental development since the last time I saw him.'' Snape growled as they made their way down the steps. Harry shrugged.   
  
''Is it always like this at home for you? Blatant favoritism towards your elder brother?''  
  
''Yes, I don't really care anymore, I've gotten used to it.'' Harry replied nonchalantly.   
  
Snape made a 'hmm..' sound as they continued down the steps, He wasn't sure why, but Harry reminded him almost of himself back when he was in Hogwarts. Everyone doting on and loving James Potter... Himself hardly ever praised despite his knowledge... Albus's favoritism towards the damnable Golden Gryffindor even during the Shrieking Shack incident where he almost was killed. He almost felt relief this time seeing as how Harry wasn't punished unfairly like he was. But he also had a feeling that this time's pardon may have also been for his benefit.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: I might not be able to update very much between now and next week because of my killer programming assignments and differential equations midterm. I'll try my best though...  
  
Thank you to everyone who commented. 


	4. chapter 4

A/N: I'm so sorry about the overlap, I didn't even realize it. I must have copied and pasted over the second half when I was cutting the chapters. Anyways, this is the second part that was covered up:  
  
~~~  
  
One thing that annoyed Draco about Harry was that he had tendency to notice really weird small stuff that no one would ever, in a million years, notice. And Harry also happened to be perceptive enough to draw some pretty reasonable conclusions from these small nuances that everyone had.   
  
For example, Harry had caught onto Draco's tendency to steal just by watching how Draco constantly liked to pass his hand over objects and sort of hover them. That and Draco also didn't like to fold up the sleeves of his robes like most students did and how Draco also had more pockets in his robes than anyone else.  
  
Draco had found out that Harry knew about his habit because one time he was trying to nick a library book on hexes when Harry suddenly came up behind him and told him that the library books were charmed to scream if you didn't 'check' them out or if you didn't have a special card that nullified the alarm charm. That and his affinity to steal would get him in trouble one day.  
  
Draco had been peeved at first, thinking that Harry was targeting him to make his life miserable. But once he saw Harry observing everyone in the same way, Draco relaxed just a bit and would even ask Harry sometimes what he was thinking.   
  
A few of Harry's theories were a bit weird, and Draco doubted that they were all correct, but some of them sort of made sense:  
  
Harry guessed that Ron probably needed glasses because his eyes almost always seemed to pop out of his head and he would lean very far forward every time he tried to read the writing on the board. But Ron probably disliked Percy in the family the most, so he didn't want to get glasses and be taunted about how much he looked like Percy.   
  
Pansy had a vanity complex, and an attraction to shiny things. She liked reflections a lot and tended to walk along the outside of the halls, closest to the windows.   
  
Hannah (from Hufflepuff) took things too personally and tended to overwork herself. Harry thought that because she believed that everything had to be fair, she tended not even ask any other students for help because in her own mind, it was cheating. Sure enough, they always saw Hannah constantly studying and get so frustrated that she would nearly start to cry.  
  
Lavender Brown probably was a sort of typical girly girl who probably would get married as fast as she could once she got out of Hogwarts. She constantly made brainless jokes and didn't like to take responsibility for her actions. And she always waved off problems by saying, "If it's my fate to do so, then it'll happen."  
  
And so on…  
  
Needless to say, Draco never doubted again that nothing was going on in Harry's head. In fact, perhaps there was too much going on.   
  
~~~  
  
School had been in session for about two weeks or so when Professor McGonagall turned down Jerry's plea to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  
  
Bitter about what happened, Jerry decided to duel Harry one night as Harry and Blaise Zambini were exiting the Dining Hall. The two warily stared at Jerry.   
  
"What do you want Jerry?" Harry asked, reading himself in case his brother tried something.  
  
"A duel." Jerry said seriously.   
  
Harry gaped, "You're kidding me."  
  
Jerry held up his wand, "Do I looked like I'm kidding?"  
  
Harry, "I…"  
  
"He'll accept and I'll be his second." Draco interrupted from behind Jerry.  
  
Harry looked over Draco… "Wait, I didn't!"  
  
But it was already decided and Jerry walked off before Harry could change his mind. Harry visibly slouched against the wall, "I don't want to duel him."  
  
"Don't tell me you're scared of him." Draco mocked.   
  
For an instant Harry recalled seeing himself burying dead butterflies and paled, "No… It's just…"  
  
"Don't worry, it'll be easy, as far as I can tell from watching him work in Defense against the Dark Arts, he's nothing but a moron that gloats too much."  
  
"Wait… we don't have Dark Arts with the Gryffindors…"  
  
Draco had a vague but sinister smile, "Oh~ I guess we don't…"  
  
~~~  
  
That night, Ron and Hermione hid behind the curtains as they watched the group of Gryffindors get ready for the duel.   
  
Jerry was discussing how he was first and Andrew Kirke was his second. Then he directed for Seamus, Jack, and Geofferey to come around the back and attack Harry and Draco when they were dueling.   
  
From behind the curtains, Ron and Hermione exchanged shocked looks.  
  
"We have to help Harry!" Hermione whispered to Ron. Ron nodded. The two of them sat still until the group decided that it was time and headed out of the common room. Ron and Hermione then quietly waited a few more moments and then followed after them.   
  
The two of them followed the soft sound of murmurs and footsteps tapping on the floor, thinking of a way to get around the group so that they could warn Harry that it was trap.   
  
~~~  
  
"This is the dumbest idea…" Harry started, not quite so willing to allow Draco drag him out of the Slytherin common room.   
  
"Come one!" Draco growled, "Are you chicken?"  
  
"Yes I'm chicken. Bawk bawk bawk, now can I go to bed?"  
  
"You can't wuss out!"  
  
"Watch me."  
  
"You'll never live this down, you'll be made fun of!"  
  
Harry blinked and said sarcastically, "And that's such a big improvement from...?"  
  
"Come on..."  
  
"I'm not getting in trouble because of him. This is absurd."  
  
Draco moved over and started to drag Harry by the hand. Unfortunately Harry was much smaller and lighter, so it was fairly easy to drag him to the door without too much effort.  
  
"God dammit Draco! I don't want to duel him!"  
  
"Well you should have spoken up earlier."  
  
"I did!"  
  
But Draco ignored him and continued to pull him towards the portrait door.  
  
~~~  
  
Severus could tell something was up once one of his charmed sensors on the Slytherin Portrait went off. Severus groaned, he really didn't want to do this.  
  
He eventually got out of his office and saw the blond dragging the dark haired boy by the arm. Then they stopped and Harry managed to tug his arm away, "Look Draco, think about it. He's going to be out all night looking for us and making a fool out of himself. It might just be that he gets caught by Filch. So not only will lose house points, he'll get detention with Filch, probably scrubbing toilets. If we go out there, he have a just as high probability of getting caught. So why don't we just stay here so we don't."  
  
"You're such a party pooper Potter." Malfoy growled, as he started to have doubts about whether to go.   
  
"Yes, but at least he uses his brain." Snape suddenly said as he stepped out of the shadows. The two boys let out a scream and jumped back in fright.   
  
Snape's eyes narrowed, "What are you doing out here?"  
  
"N-nothing sir."  
  
"It didn't 'sound' like nothing."  
  
"We were going back sir…" Harry quickly correct and tugged Draco towards the portrait. The two of them were about to rush behind the portrait when Snape stopped them, "Wait."  
  
They froze.  
  
"Where did you say you were going to 'meet' Mr. Jerry Potter."  
  
"Q-quidditch field." Malfoy replied quickly.   
  
"Good, now get back to your beds, you better be sleeping when I come back to check in."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
~~~  
  
The next morning Gryffindor found themselves with only ten points remaining in their counter. They gaped, horrified. At the sight. "What happened?"  
  
Hermione and Ron kept silent. The two of them hadn't been caught because Snape had swooped down on the group of boys before Hermione and Ron could catch up, and once they saw Snape's figure, they froze and then ran back as fast as they could to Gryffindor tower.   
  
However, looking at the points, it was obvious that Gryffindor had lost two hundred points over night, forty from each boy. And not only that, Jerry and the rest of the boys had a month's detention with Filch. Harry paused… forty points, it's not like Snape to only take forty instead of fifty…unless…. He missed one. Earlier Hermione and Ron had told him that five boys went out. Perhaps one of them escaped.  
  
At the moment Filch looked frighteningly gleeful as the murmured to himself. Draco caught the word 'torture' a few times as he watched Filch.   
  
"That came out a lot better than I though." Draco snickered to Harry. Harry tried not to laugh, but it was difficult, seeing how Jerry's face was turning all sort of purple, Harry quickly ducked his head down so that Marcus Flint, who was sitting across from him was blocking his hysterically laughing figure.   
  
Draco follow suit and the two finally calmed down as they saw Snape walk tiredly to the teacher's table.   
  
Harry nudged Draco, "Is he alright?"  
  
Draco frowned, "You don't think those morons hexed him or something when he caught them do you?"  
  
"Them hex Snape?" Harry said skeptically, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Draco, why do you even have a head?"  
  
"Shut up Potty!" Draco growled and flung some peas at Harry.   
  
~~~  
  
Later that night in Gryffindor Tower.  
  
"You won't believe what I saw, when we were running away from Snape, I took a detour and ended up on the third floor and then I went into one of the rooms. I found out why the school's been banned from the third floor. Dumbledore is keeping a three headed monster dog in there. And not only that. It's guarding some sort of trap door." Geoffrey reported.  
  
The five boys looked at each other and grinned.   
  
~~~ 


	5. chapter 5

''We could kidnap Malfoy and tell him that we hid his dumb blonde little friend in that room.'' Geofferey suggested as the boys came up with various wicked ideas in the First year's boys dorm.   
  
Meanwhile, Ron was hidden behind the curtains of his bed, listening to every word and holding his breath, afraid that they might hear him. For some reason, they kept mentioning a room and a dog of some sort, which sounded very suspicious.   
  
In the end, the boys decided to go through with the kidnapping of Draco. And Ron resolved to get to Harry first.   
  
~~~  
  
Unfortunately, Ron forgot that he and Harry didn't share classes at all on Wednesdays and Harry tended to have a very early breakfast, because Slytherins always practiced Quidditch on Wednesday mornings.   
  
Jerry and the gang got a hold of Draco after practice.  
  
And thus Ron never managed to get to Harry before it happened...  
  
Ron panted as he saw a group of Slytherins watching Harry run out of the Great Hall. Ron quickly ran over to Hermione, ''What happened?!''  
  
''Professor Vector and Professor Sprout said that Draco didn't show up to his classes. Some of the professors are already looking for him.'' Hermione hissed as she gestured for him to sit.   
  
Ron looked at the doors that Harry had left through, ''What happened before Harry left?''  
  
''One of the Gryffindor guys tossed him a note and then ran back. Harry looked really brassed off and then ran out the doors. Ron, I have a bad feeling...''  
  
''Shit.'' Ron muttered and ran after Harry, not bothering to answer back as Hermione yelled something incoherent behind him.   
  
~~~  
  
Ron recalled the boys mentioning the banished third floor and rushed up there. However, he didn't know where Harry was until he heard the creak of a door hinge. He quickly ran down the hall hoping to get to Harry before something bad happened.   
  
''Wait!'' Ron screamed, holding his hand out, as if it could somehow magically keep Harry from going inside.   
  
It worked.  
  
Harry suddenly stopped, not paying attention to the deep darkness before him, and turned his head to look at Ron, ''Ron?''  
  
''It's a trick!'' Ron quickly said as he finally came within a few feet from Harry.   
  
''Then where is he?'' Harry asked, body stiffening in anger.  
  
''They have him.'' Ron said, panting hard as he put his hands on knees.   
  
''Jerry.'' Harry hissed, but just as he was about to continue, they heard a low dangerous growl coming from the black abyss before them.   
  
Ron tensed up and looked around with frightened eyes, ''W-what was that?''  
  
Harry was looking inside the door, ''D-d-d-...dog.''  
  
The growl turned into series of overlapped barks. Ron, upon instinct, pulled Harry out of the doorway, and started to close the door. When Harry finally snapped out of his fear induced paralysis, he quickly rushed over to help Ron close the door on the mad barking dogs. One of the dogs jammed it's oversized muzzles between the doorway and the door and tried to keep it open.   
  
''That jerk!'' Harry yelled as he shoved his shoulder against the door forcefully, ''I could have been killed!''  
  
''I wouldn't doubt he was trying to kill you.'' Ron muttered, putting all his weight on the door. But the three headed dog was huge and they were having a hard time competing with its weight.   
  
Finally, after about fifteen minutes of desperate pushing against the door and being drooled on by the dog, it finally pulled its injured muzzle back in. Then they managed to shut the door and lock it with the spell that Harry had undone earlier with an alohamora.   
  
They both wanted to drop to the ground with exhaustion, but neither thought it was smart to just sit outside the door of a mad, three headed, giant dog.   
  
They both made their way back downstairs, and then separated to get back to their respective towers. Harry went back to retrieve new clothes, his sleeves had gotten a bit ripped and slobbered on by the dog and he was dripping in sweat. Ron was supposed to go back to see if Jerry and his goons were holding Draco and to see if he could try to free him.   
  
But in Harry's fatigued mindless running, he managed to make a wrong turn to the Slytherin tower and found himself a bit lost in the dungeon.   
  
Then he heard Snape talking to someone, his front door was left open slightly, as if he had gone into the room in a rush.   
  
Harry was about to leave Snape alone when he heard Snape's companion say, ''How dare you say that about our Dark Lord. He shall rise again. He's only biding his time!''  
  
''Be that as it may, I cannot give myself away to the old fool! I was lucky to be pardoned by the Ministry for my youthful indiscretions.''  
  
''You are one of us Severus, or have you forgotten?''  
  
''I will not go with you on this ... 'jaunt'. It would raise suspicions...''  
  
''It's not like everyone doesn't know you're a Death Eater.''  
  
''They 'think' that I am one ...''  
  
''It's close enough. Does it really matter?''  
  
''He keeps a close eye on me.''  
  
''You know Severus, from the way you act, one would think that you weren't a Death Eater...'' The man replied lazily. Harry could almost visualize the sneer.  
  
~~~  
  
Harry had managed to get away after that without making any sound, but now his mind was jumbled in thoughts, one of Snape being a Death Eater and one of Draco being in trouble. He stubbornly pushed the thoughts of Snape away, he could think about it later...  
  
He rushed back to his dorm room and changed, making sure to wear something less heavy and rush over to the Gryffindor tower.   
  
He was about to reach a portrait when an arm shot out of the alcove and pulled him in. It was Ron. Harry was breathing heavily, ''Wha- where? Is- he...?''  
  
''He's tied up and screaming up a storm.'' Ron said.   
  
''But I don't hear...''  
  
''One of the older Gryffindors cast a silencing spell.''  
  
''Are they doing anything to him?''  
  
''No, well... not yet, just taunting him, although Jerry looked ready to give him a shiner.'' Ron replied. ''I-I wanted to help but, there's about eight of them in there. I was thinking, maybe the two of us...''  
  
''Would be insane.'' Harrry muttered, ''Come one, lets McGonagall.''  
  
''But...''  
  
''But what? We can't handle this alone!''  
  
''But what if they found out that I was...They might kill me in my sleep.'' Ron replied weakly.  
  
''Then I'll tell her. Go to the library, I won't tell them you're involved.'' Harry said, shoving Ron towards the direction of the library. Ron gave one last hesitant look and headed off.   
  
As Ron started to walk away, Harry ran to get Mrs. McGonagall.  
  
~~~  
  
''Of all the appalling things to do!'' Mrs. McGonagall screamed at the culprits. The eight of them and Harry and Draco were sitting in the headmaster's office.   
  
They were sitting on opposite sides, but Draco was sitting the furthest away from any of them. He looked ready to hex all of them to hell and back. Harry could tell that he was straining to keep his hands on the arms of the chairs so that he wouldn't reach into his robes for his wand.   
  
''...This is the sneakiest and most underhanded thing I've ever seen coming from my own house!'' she continued on her diatribe. Draco's nerves weren't reacting well to her screaming either, his eye were twitch every so often.   
  
Luckily, the headmaster held up a hand and told Mrs. McGonagall to calm down and he would deal with the situation.   
  
Mrs. McGongall sat down, still looking ruffled and ready to spring up yelling again. Dumbledore handed her a cup of tea. And almost as if it were magic, she quickly calmed down.   
  
Harry glanced down warily at his untouched tea. He made a mental note to never take any food that was from the headmaster.   
  
Although...  
  
Harry glanced over at Draco, ''Why don't you have some tea Draco? It's pretty good...''  
  
Luckily Draco had been focusing so intently on his captors that he never noticed that Harry never took a sip. He cast a glare at Harry for his busy body comment and drank some tea.   
  
And just like Professor McGonagall, he stopped looking so tense and his eye stopped twitching. And Harry relaxed a bit himself, he had been reading himself the entire time in case Draco was going to jump up and charge at the Gryffindors with his wand.   
  
Dumbledore then started with the punishments.  
  
Gryffindor's house points had gone into the negatives. Although this made Professor McGonagall sour, she didn't argue against the headmaster.   
  
The boys were given a month of detention, one and a half hour per day with anyone Dumbledore assigned.   
  
And although it was hardly fair that the boys had gotten off without even being expelled. Draco had stopped arguing one he was given a special necklace that would warn him by warming up if one of the eight boys came within hexing distance of him. 


	6. chapter 6

September passed and so did October, they had finally settled into their schedules over time and now it seemed like the year would never end. Then, before they knew it, it was Halloween.   
  
One thing that no one but Harry knew was the Draco was a sugar junkie (he usually didn't eat very much at meals, but he ate an unhealthy amount of candy which was probably why he was so thin and sickly looking). Once Harry had managed to catch sight of Draco's stash (since their beds were next to each other), not to mention he now knew Draco well enough that his subtle moves to brush his face, or cupping his chin was to actually hide the fact that the was popping candy corn into his mouth.   
  
''You're a pig.'' Harry hissed as he watched Draco pop in another piece of candy corn during Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
''Am not, you're just jealous.''  
  
''Of what? They practically have floating buckets full of candy up and down the halls. You've been stuffing your face all day with sweets. You're going to get diabetes.''  
  
Malfoy shot him a confused look, ''What's that?''  
  
''It's a disease from eating too much sugar.''  
  
''I've never heard of such a disease.''  
  
''Well it exists, the Muggles have diabetics inject themselves with insulin every day if they get the disease.''  
  
''You see, you just said the magic word Potter, ''Muggles''. When are you going to learn that Wizards are so much more superior because we don't get Muggle diseases.''  
  
''Says the ignorant moron who though wizards couldn't get chicken pox. You were practically running away from Justin in fear when we researched and found out that wizards got chicken pox just like Muggles do. You should have gotten them, teach you a lesson.''  
  
''Potty, shouldn't you be paying attention to class?''  
  
''We're looking at Mindlegrines, they're just frogs that look like stones that you can't walk on or they squirt you. They don't even have a decent potions use.''  
  
Draco made a face, ''That's scary Potty, you're sounding like Snape.''  
  
''It's true.''  
  
''Well, Mr. Walking Encyclopedia, between you and Textbook, I probably don't ever have to do homework again huh?''  
  
''In your dreams Malfoy.''  
  
''You want to be in my dreams Potter? You have the strangest kinks.''  
  
''Pervert.''  
  
''Retard.''  
  
''Moron.''  
  
''...'' Draco stopped and then whispered, ''Potty, did the teacher just call on us?''  
  
~~~  
  
That night, Halloween dinner was coming along nicely until Professor Quirrell barged in and screamed about a Troll at the top of his lungs.   
  
The students started to yell in terror and started a mass exodus out of the Great Hall. Harry was about to follow the Slytherin Prefect back to the towers when Ron suddenly came over looking panic stricken, '' 'arry! I sort of said something not so nice to 'Mione earlier and s-she didn't come to dinner. I don't know where she is. I-I can't find her and she doesn't know about the Troll! Please you have to help me find her!''  
  
''Do you know where she is?'' Harry asked quickly and followed after Ron.   
  
Draco's head popped above the crowed and spotted Harry and Ron running to one of the side doors they shouldn't have been exiting. ''What the bloody hell?''  
  
He then squirmed through the crowed and followed after the two foolish students.   
  
~~~  
  
When Draco arrived, he found the three backed into a corner, trying to evade the Troll's oversized club. Draco looked for the first hex he could think of.  
  
''Locomotor Mortis!'' Draco yelled, the troll's feet immediately snapped together as if an invisible rope tied around it's legs and it fell over due to it's overweight belly. The creature screamed and squalled on the ground for a bit, flailing his club around dangerously.   
  
''Mobilicorpus!'' Draco tried, but it didn't work.   
  
''Why doesn't it work?''  
  
''You can't do direct spells at the Troll, its skin is too thick, you can only do external spells!'' Hermione instructed even as she jumped away from the troll's club.   
  
''I can't hold the leg binding spell much longer!'' Draco yelled, trying to concentrate. Unfortunately the creature was growing angrier and in a snap it managed to break free and swing it's club down at Draco head.  
  
''No!'' Hermione screamed as her hands quickly went to her ears so she wouldn't hear the sickening crunch.   
  
But the Troll stopped and froze. Hermione stared as she pulled her hands away from her ears. Now she could suddenly hear a sort of eerie whisper surrounding the room, ''What?''  
  
''Uh... Hermione... There's something wrong with Harry.'' Ron said, pointing at Harry.   
  
Harry was standing there with his eyes blank whispering something incoherent, it seemed to echo throughout the room and swarm around. Hermione shivered, it was making her skin crawl. Harry twitched involuntarily, like a ragged doll being jarred on strings attached to his limbs. But he kept whispered gibberish.   
  
Meanwhile, Draco, quickly took the opportunity to get out from under the troll's club and stood at the opposite wall of the bathroom, away from the troll. When he finally gathered his bearings he also noticed the whispering, then he noticed Harry, ''Hey! What's wrong with him?''  
  
Ron shrugged, ''W-we don't know!''  
  
''Harry, snap out it?'' Hermione said waving a hand in front of Harry's face.   
  
Suddenly Professor McGonagall rushed to the bathroom, ''What's going on?!''  
  
''We don't know!'' Ron retorted, ''There's something wrong with Harry!''  
  
Minerva paled at the sight, she could practically taste the unsteady magic in the air, she had to get the other children away from Harry for their own safety.   
  
''Mr. Wealsey, Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy come over to me.''  
  
''What about Harry?''  
  
''I-I cant do anything about Mr. Potter right now, I'm not sure what kind of trance he's in, however I do know that if anything goes wrong, all of you will be injured very badly, now come to where I am.''  
  
The three children immediately obeyed and walked over to Professor McGonagall. She created a shield around them so that the magic that Harry was producing wouldn't harm them. She was about to take them away when Hermione suddenly turned and pointed back at Harry and the Troll, ''Look!''  
  
Harry's eyes were glowing blue and a bluish sphere had appeared around the troll and was now closing in the monster. The monster let out a scream, but it was somehow muffled by what seemed to be a silencing charm. Then the sphere grew smaller and smaller while blurring out the Troll, until it was the size of a tennis ball. Then the sphere disappeared and out of it dropped a small cockroach that skittered around. Without thinking, Draco, quickly picked up the bat and went over to squish the bug.  
  
''Just in case, so it doesn't turn back.'' Draco said quickly, justifying his actions  
  
Harry's eye suddenly dimmed and became green once more, then they rolled back and he collapsed onto the bathroom floor.   
  
~~~  
  
Harry woke up to the sound of Snape yelling at Madam Pomfrey, ''Would you stop groping at me woman?!''  
  
''I'm trying to heal the wound on your leg Severus! I can't believe you didn't come to me immediately, now look at it! It's infected!''  
  
''Nothing a few potions won't fix.''  
  
''And a few hours in the hospital.''  
  
''No.''  
  
''Yes, now lie down! Or else the next time you see me, I'll be in operation room at St. Mungo's telling you 'I told you so' as the medi-wizard amputate your leg.''  
  
''It's nothing!'' Severus reiterated and tried to move off of the bed, but Madam Pomfrey held up an injector, ''You keep thrashing around, I will not hesitated to inject you with this.''  
  
Snape scowled and settled back down, trying to work up the nastiest glare he could manage at the bedsheets.  
  
Madam Pomfrey, didn't stop attending Severus but now she ignored him and she started talking to Harry, ''How are you feeling?''  
  
''A bit woozy.''  
  
''That's to be expected. You've been out for a day.''  
  
''What happened?''  
  
Madam Pomfrey sighed, ''Actually, I don't know. Professor McGonagall carried you in unconscious and wouldn't tell me how you got this way. But I do believe she told the Headmaster. I'll inform him you've awaken once I'm done with Severus.''  
  
Harry looked over at his Head of House's bloody leg, ''What happened?''  
  
''Minor injury, fell down.'' Severus said curtly  
  
Harry frowned, the wound wasn't a scrape though, it was deep, as if something sharp had gouged into it. He didn't want to further irritate his already irate professor, so he replied dumbly. ''Oh...okay...''  
  
After Madam Pomfrey stopped rubbing the potion on Snapes leg and bandaged it up, she went off to talk to Dumbledore.  
  
~~~  
  
Harry had been informed of what he had done to the Troll by Dumbledore and his friends. He was bit stunned at their description and perhaps even a bit fearful.   
  
Eventually, he had been let out of the hospital and returned to his normal life.   
  
Slytherin won the Quidditch game again, much to Professor Sprout's chagrin. The game had been dangerous and rough on Harry, he didn't even know why but his broom had suddenly spun out of control, causing him to almost fall off. Hermione had later told him that she had seen Snape chanting while staring at Harry and Harry's broom didn't return back to normal until Hermione had set Snape's robes on fire. This information had greatly disturbed Harry.  
  
But the Slytherins seemed ignorant of Harry's discomfort and paranoia and partied that night with food and drinks from the kitchen.   
  
As the sated Slytherins lounged around on the furniture talking about the came, one of them suddenly said, '' We showed those Hufflepuff weaklings that The Dark Lord's house always wins.''  
  
Harry suddenly froze and darted his eyes over to the speaker, it was Terence Higgs. The Seeker that Harry had replaced.   
  
Then suddenly, to Harry's left, a hand came up with a cup to toast Terence, ''Here here! To the Dark Lord!''  
  
The owner of the hand was Draco Malfoy.  
  
~~~  
  
Harry lay awake all night listening to the breathing of his dorm mates all night. He wasn't sure why, but he felt... betrayed. He hadn't realized that Draco was a supporter of the Dark Lord. He was a Malfoy and Harry had initially thought so, but after being friends with him for a few months, he started to doubt it. Perhaps he wasn't as perceptive as he thought.  
  
'Did he just make friends with me to get to Jerry?' Harry wondered.   
  
It was always about Jerry wasn't it. The situation sort of reminded Harry of this one muggle book that he read a few years ago and left him disturbed for a month. A quote from the book that the grandmother had kept viciously imparting on the less liked child kept echoing in his head, ''Jacob Have I Loved, Esau Have I Hated.''  
  
He flipped and turned on his side, trying to get comfortable. But he couldn't even keep his eyes shut. Finally he gave up trying to sleep and headed downstairs to sit in the common room, maybe he'd practice a little magic to clear his mind, just like back in the clearing at home.   
  
At first he thought about all the things that bothered him. At home he would always start like this, trying to go through each of things that troubled him and write them down somewhere in his mind and then after he finished he would take a mental erasure and wipe them away. Then he would begin working with his magic. He sat down on the rug in the middle of the Slytherin common room and started to think.  
  
First he thought about Draco. Had his only friend in Slytherin been lying to him the whole time. He never told Harry, but a lie of omission was still a lie. What if Draco had plans on being a Death Eater? Would he used and sacrifice Harry to get to Jerry?   
  
Well, it wasn't like Draco was that good of a friend. He only helped out Harry when felt like it. A lot of times Draco would only hang out with him if he was bored. Harry mentally scolded himself for being so gullible. Draco had only been curious that time with the Troll, he hadn't meant to get involved, he had told Harry as much. And he never mentioned any sort of thanks for when Harry saved him from Jerry. Who was he kidding? Draco was... selfish. Just like every Slytherin here. Slytherin... perhaps, if he wanted to survive, he would have to start acting like them.   
  
Then there was Professor Snape. He was a Death Eater and probably tried to kill him. Harry had tried to keep up a façade of a polite respect towards his Head of House, but he no long had the same attachment he had felt near the beginning of the year. Was he trying to kill Jerry? Harry didn't really like his... okay, he hated his brother. But he didn't want him to die...  
  
Was he completely surrounded by people ready to stab him in the back?  
  
The rest of his house seemed ready to turn on him at any chance...  
  
Why would Dumbledore hire a Death Eater? He probably didn't know...Should Harry tell on his Head of House?  
  
And another thing that bothered Harry was that the Headmaster loved Jerry just like everyone (except anyone Slytherin, Ron, Hermione and Fred and George) loved Jerry. They made way for him, surrounded him when he practiced for next year's Quidditch's tryouts. It made Harry feel bitter every time he found himself alone in the library and then saw a group of Jerry's friends yelling and cheering outside of his window. It was almost as if he was trying to taunt Harry.  
  
Harry let out a deep sigh and then slowly began to toss his darker thoughts into the endless dark abyss in the back of his mind and surrounded himself in whiteness, thinking of nothing...   
  
Harry then deeply inhaled, drawing on the power around him, he could sense the couches, the rug, the fire in the fireplace... He plunged deeper and then he could feel the stones that made up the Slytherin Tower. Reaching out further, he could feel the rest of Hogwarts, the halls the classrooms, the secret rooms, he went down further... and further and further... Then he felt something new, besides stones. It was cool and slick, like scales, he traveled along the scales and eventually came upon the end.   
  
And suddenly his mind was filled with the sight of a giant snake.   
  
Harry let out a yelp and jumped as he quickly stood up, from his spot and back away until his back was against the portrait. He quickly opened the portrait and started to run. He didn't know why he was running, just that he was. What had he seen? A Giant Snake. It was there, living breathing in the foundations of Hogwarts. Did Dumbledore know it was there?  
  
Harry raked a shaky hand through his hair. He didn't know how long he stood there staring at that spot. After finally regaining his bearing, he shook his head, he was going crazy. There was no snake, he was too tired from the Quidditch game and probably had a snack that had gone bad.  
  
Yes, that was it.  
  
He quickly walked around the spot and headed back to his dorm to see if he could catch some sleep.  
  
But unbeknownst to him, something even dangerous resided inside of him. In the darkness of his mind, a creature, unknowingly invited, lived at the bottom of where Harry swept away his bad thoughts and greedily devoured them.   
  
And as more things troubled Harry, the stronger it grew.   
  
~~~ 


	7. chapter 7

Christmas came, which meant Harry had to go home. He wished he could stay, but then he knew that hardly anyone was staying. Even Ron was going home.   
  
Harry tossed the last of his clothes into his trunk and clicked it shut.   
  
Moments later, Draco sauntered over and jumped onto Harry's bed as if it were his own. ''So Potty, when are you leaving?''  
  
''So eager to get rid of me?''  
  
''Of course.'' Draco replied.   
  
''Right after breakfast.''  
  
''Hmm, same. Be seeing you next year huh.''  
  
''Right.''  
  
~~~  
  
Harry didn't like spending Christmas at home. The only time he ever remembers enjoying Christmas was when his parents decided on a vacation in France for the winder hols.   
  
This year, like every year, there would be wrapped presents. Even in amount, but vastly different, value-wise. They never knew what to give Harry, so he usually got a lot of worthless things that he didn't like. The year before his brother had gotten a Muggle remote race car, whereas Harry got a set of four packs of exploding snaps. Harry hated exploding snaps.  
  
The only time Harry ever got something he wanted was when his parents realized they had given Jerry an extra gift. So they took Harry out and he ended up buying the Merlin book in the bookstore. He really liked Merlin, he was fascinating, innovative, and a bit of a recluse. Harry liked that, he felt he could relate to Merlin because of that.   
  
This year, they both got two presents from their parents, one from their each of grandparents. So they had about six presents.   
  
Jerry, as usual, went for the largest present in this stack, Harry, liked to go for the smallest one, that way you could build up in anticipation.   
  
He reached out and got the semi-flat looking present, and opened it. He gasped, inside was his father's invisibility cloak. He always thought his father would give this to Jerry!  
  
Harry hurried over to his parents with a giant grin on his face, ''Thank you so much!''  
  
His father looked like he was going to say something, but Harry gave him a hug and kept saying thank you over and over again. So James didn't say anything.   
  
Harry kept the precious invisibility cloak in his lap the entire time he continued to unwrap the other gifts and held onto it for the rest of the night.   
  
~~~  
  
That night Harry was going to go to down to the kitchen to get a drink of water, when he heard voices... distressed voices.  
  
''I must have messed up the tags on the present.'' Harry's father grumbled.   
  
''It's all right, you saw how happy the present made Harry. Maybe it'll be for the better.'' Lily soothed him.  
  
''But it was supposed to be for Jerry!''  
  
''Just leave it be. It'll be cruel to take it away from Harry now, you saw how he was carrying it around the whole time.''  
  
''I guess, but... it was like my legacy. Being passed down to Jerry.''  
  
Harry sank down against the railing of the stairs and stared off into the distance. Of course the best present he ever got was actually meant for Jerry.   
  
But he wasn't going to return it. The invisibility cloak had lost it's preciousness and dearness in his heart, but he wasn't stupid enough to give it away for such silly reasons. It was very valuable and rare after all.  
  
Harry brought a hand up to the bridge of his nose and tried to pinch away the pressure behind his forehead, behind his eyes. There was no use throwing a tantrum and crying over such small things. He had to live with his parents and brother for the next seven years after all.  
  
He quietly picked himself up and headed back up the stairs. But not before hearing that same horrible phrase echo through his head.   
  
''Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated...''  
  
And in the darkness, the creature let out a quiet sinister titter.  
  
~~~  
  
A/N: I'm trying my best to not create any couples (except for Ron and Hermione, I do want to keep that aspect of the book). The problem is, I have a hard time making any sort of female pairing with Harry simply because I guess I always saw Harry as alone... Although I do write slash, I don't think I will for this story because I think a lot of really really good fanfiction writers, like ones that should be published, already write slash and I guess I think they've already cornered the market on writing mindblowing epics that are completely uncomparable and I worship the ground they walk on. But at the same time, sympathize those who don't read slash. I think gen. stories can reach the same maturity as decent slash stories, but you just have to be careful. Even I'm scolding myself a few times as I go back and read and find some out of character moments.  
  
I'm striving to not create a cliched story, although I can guess that there may be one or two out there that start off similarly where Harry has a twin. Well, considering the thousands of HP stories out there, It's not really possible to not overlap something, even if you think your idea is original *wince*.   
  
I hope no one was turned away from the Troll scene because you were thinking, "Holy shit! This is turning into a Gary Stu." I assure you, it's not. Why? Because I've already got a lot of it mapped out and I sure as hell am not going to let it become a Gary Stu. If he does, I'll have him killed off or something. Yeah... Gary Stus are the devil. That said... hope you enjoyed the installment and thank you to everyone one who responded. 


	8. chapter 8

''So Potty? Have a good hols?'' Draco asked as he direct the house elf to put his trunk at the foot of his bed.   
  
Harry shrugged, ''Same old, same old.''  
  
''Already lost the magic in them for you huh?''  
  
''Yeah, just a bit.''  
  
''Let me guess, no good presents?''  
  
''No, they were alright. Just... yeah, I think I've taken for granted my time away from Jerry.''  
  
''Pain in the arse over break too?''  
  
''He's a constant pain the arse. It's just that I've gotten used to small exposures of it.''  
  
Draco suddenly had an intrigued looked, ''You know who you remind me of?''  
  
Harry sat up and made a face, ''Remind you of?''  
  
''Yeah, that's it .You remind me of Snape. I mean the way you say stuff, well without the biting, derogatory comments.''  
  
Harry scowled, ''Nice to know you got drugs over the holidays, I can tell they're pretty potent.''  
  
''Shut up Potty. You're the one with a melted brain.''  
  
''You sure about that Draco?''  
  
''What do the words on the head of my bed say? Do they say 'Potty'?'' Harry said as he pointed at the head of his bed. Everyone had their names charmed at the head of their beds.   
  
''No Draco.'' Harry continued slowly, like he was talking to a retarded child ''Really, look at it. It says Pot-ter. Not Potty.''   
  
''Well obviously they've got it wrong. Maybe we should get the house elves in here and change it. Perhaps to... ''Snape''?''  
  
Harry replied with a well directed projectile (pillow) towards Draco's head.   
  
~~~  
  
For the rest of spring, Harry spent most of his time studying and practicing Quidditch with the Slytherins.   
  
Then the day came, Gryffindor had defeated Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, so they were finally up against Slytherin.   
  
Jerry sat in the stands with his fan club, jeering at the Slytherins, especially Harry. Draco rolled his eyes as he leveled himself on his broom next to Harry, ''Maybe we should tell Snape to go over there and shut them up.''  
  
''I wish.''  
  
Draco hummed, ''Next time we'll have the mudblood look up some spells.''  
  
''You know she won't do you any favors if you call her mudblood.''  
  
''Like I care what she thinks. She's a mud-''  
  
''Who has better grades than you in all of the classes, including Potions.'' Harry interrupted, ''I wouldn't make fun of her until I'm actually better than her.''  
  
Draco was about to retort when Madam Hooch came out into the middle of the field, and started to game.   
  
The game lasted for a while, with Sytherin only ten points in the lead. Harry was hovering around the top of the field making a few fake dives to throw off the Gryffindor seeker.   
  
Then finally, Harry did see the snitch. But at the same time he saw Draco trying to steal the Quaffle and Gryffindor beater sending a bludger straight down onto Draco's head.   
  
'Oh hell!' Harry thought and decided to choose save Draco from a concussion instead of going straight for the snitch. Harry quickly flew down while being followed by the Gryffindor seeker, who also saw what Harry was trying to do.   
  
As Harry neared Draco, the Gryffindor Seeker quickly grabbed onto the tail of Harry's broom. Harry yelped as he jerked for a second. But instead of freeing his broom he yelled out, ''Draco! Watch out!''  
  
In that instance Draco's head came up and turned around, so the bludger came down and hit the front of his broom instead of his head. Unfortunately, this also caused the broom to lose it's magical functions. Harry glanced back and aimed a well placed kick on the Gryffindor seeker's hand and dove down to catch Draco.   
  
He quickly caught onto Draco's hand, but just barely since Draco was only dangling a foot below above the ground. They slowly lowered until Draco's feet touched the ground.  
  
Draco's left hand came up and covered his heart, ''Oh, I thought I was going to die.''  
  
Harry let out a small shaky, hysterical laugh, ''Guess It's your lucky day.''  
  
Draco gave a curt nod and then looked back up at the game, ''Better go back, I'll see if I can borrow a broom, we still have a game to win.''  
  
Harry nodded and was about to turn around, when he noticed that the snitch was hovering around Draco's head. Harry's eyes widened and his arm darted out.   
  
Draco instinctively ducked at the sight of a hand coming at him and stared yelling, ''What the bloody hell is wrong with you!?''  
  
Harry grinned and opened his hands a bit and showed Draco the golden snitch.   
  
Draco gaped.  
  
''What are you two lollydaddling here for! Get back to the game Harry, Mr. Malfoy is fine!'' Madam Hooch yelled as she came over to the two boys.   
  
Harry held out his hand and showed her the snitch.  
  
''O-oh!'' Madam Hooch stuttered and then signaled to Lee Jordan.   
  
When Lee finally understood he announced with a bit of surprise and confusion in his voice, ''Harry Potter has got... the snitch.''  
  
Instantaneously, the Slytherins started up in huge cheers as Jordan dejectedly announced that Slytherin had won the Quidditch cup. The Gryffindors looked sour as many of them petulantly dragged themselves down the steps of the stands. Harry glanced back at the Gryffindor stand and saw Jerry throwing a tantrum.   
  
''I can't wait until the day he gets so mad that he pops, literally.'' Draco commented beside the Seeker, apparently he had been watching Jerry's reaction too.   
  
''I wonder how my parents will react.'' Harry said distantly as he watched Jerry leave the Gryffindor stands.   
  
~~~  
  
Harry had not seen his Head of House at the end of the game and he was a bit curious since the Head of House was usually supposed to be there at the end of each game congratulating the players for winning the Quidditch Cup.   
  
Well, Snape didn't really congratulate, he just said things like, ''I hope you can keep this up for next time.''  
  
But it was better than him not being there. When Harry finally spotted Snape, he was by the Forbidden Forest yelling and looking like he was threatening Quirrell.   
  
Harry waited until the confrontation was over, and then flew over, a few feet away from Professor Snape, ''Is something going on with Quirrell?''  
  
Snape looked up at Harry and glared, ''It's none of your business. And get off your infernal broom, the game should have been over twenty minutes ago.''  
  
''Yeah it's over. I was just looking for you.''  
  
''And why would you do that?'' Snape hissed as he spun around and started for the Castle.   
  
Harry flew slowly beside him, ''Um, since we won...''  
  
''Fine, good. Then go celebrate with your teammates.'' The Potions Master said sharply and then walked off to the entrance without looking back at Harry   
  
Harry frowned. Something wasn't right. Then he glanced back at the Forbidden Forest, where Quirrell had disappeared. Perhaps he should ask Professor Quirrell.  
  
~~~ 


	9. chapter 9

''Hello Professor Quirrell.'' Harry said, he was waiting on the outskirts of the forest for the Defense against the Dark Arts teachers. Harry was going to ask him if he was alright, it was quite obvious that Snape had been harassing him.  
  
But, something prickled in the back of Harry's mind. He couldn't really put a finger on it, but he could feel a cloud of heavy suspicion settle over him as he floated just a bit closer. The mousy looking professor looked around shiftily and then stuttered, ''Y-y-yes?''  
  
''What are you doing in the forest?'' Harry asked casually.  
  
''U-u-uh, l-looking f-f-for D-defense a-against-t the d-d-dark a-arts s-s-s-specimens.''  
  
Harry looked at Quirrell's empty hands, ''Oh. Can I see?''  
  
''I-I-I di-di-didn't f-f-ind a-a-a-ny.'' Quirrell said shiftily as he looked back into the forest, unaware of Harry's scrutiny.   
  
Quirrells eyes were darting from side to side, like he was hiding something.   
  
Suddenly Harry realized what was going on. Maybe Snape wasn't harassing Quirrell because Quirrell was against him. Maybe Quirrell was a death eater too and wasn't doing his job right. He certainly was a bad actor, Harry noted. Yes, this made much more sense.  
  
''You know'' Harry started and Quirrell turned back around to look at the boy floating on his broom, ''I had a arithmetic teacher back in grammar school who also had a stuttering problems. But you see, when people stutter, it's either because it's an involuntary problem in their speech or if they're afraid of something.''  
  
Quirrell frowned as he shifted his legs and looked to the side.   
  
''My teacher had the... uh speech problem. And you could tell because his speech spasms were involuntary. But a lot of times he would only stutter on the first word and the rest of the sentence came out normally. So, since you don't look like you have a speech problem. I wonder...what are you so afraid of Professor Quirrell?''  
  
''I'm not...a-a-afraid.d.'' Quirrell responded suddenly.   
  
Harry frowned, ''Really? Then why are you stuttering?''  
  
''I-I...''  
  
''I mean, you're surrounded by little kids like me all day and we can't possibly hurt you. So that means something else can. And since Dumbledore has warded most of Hogwarts against danger... It means, you know something...''  
  
''I-I'm n-not a-afraid.''  
  
''Then stop stuttering.''  
  
''w-w-what?!''  
  
Harry flew around Professor Quirrell and quickly changed the subject to throw him off, ''You said you were looking for something for the Defense against the Dark Arts class. What were you looking for? I'm sure the Headmaster can provide it.''  
  
''I-I-It's f-f-fresher h-here.''  
  
''What were you looking for?''  
  
''W-what?''  
  
''You weren't looking for anything were you?'' Harry insinuated, guessing that Quirrell was covering something up.  
  
''N-no! I was!'' Quirrell answered, slightly panicked. Harry caught the non-stuttering part of the speech.  
  
''Then what was it?'' Harry asked calmly, pushing a just a bit harder...  
  
''Mind your own business insolent brat!'' Quirrell suddenly yelled.   
  
Harry floated a bit higher and away from Quirrell, his brow was raised in a skeptical manner, ''Where's you're stutter professor?''  
  
Quirrell's eyes flashed in a dangerous sort of way and Harry could have sworn he saw a tint of red in his irises.   
  
Not wanting to find out what Quirrell would do if he stuck around too long. Harry turned around on his broom and headed back to the castle as fast as he could.   
  
~~~  
  
That night, Harry sat quietly in the chairs furthest from the celebrating party of Slytherins.   
  
He wondered if he had pushed Quirrell too hard and what the man was actually hiding. No, it was the thought of 'what' he was hiding that made Harry uneasy.   
  
While Harry was in a hurry to fly away from Quirrell he heard something, a soft raspy hissing sound, but he was so nervous that he didn't exactly register what that sound was.   
  
And now that he had time to reflect and mouthed the sounds in his mouth, he realized that that rasping sound had said, ''Kill the boy.''  
  
Harry wiped his sweaty palms on his robes. On Monday they had DADA... if Quirrell followed through with whatever that 'voice' said...   
  
Of course it didn't make sense that he would attack Harry in the middle of the DADA class, but then DADA was a pretty dangerous course, with dangerous animals. Quirrell could always make it look like an accident...   
  
Harry wasn't willing to take that chance. He mentally scolded himself. 'I'm Slytherin for Merlin's sake, so start thinking like one!'  
  
~~~  
  
''Look, it's not that hard to make a teacher's life a living hell.'' Harry whispered to Draco on the way to DADA. That night, Harry had started to spread rumors that Quirrell was a spy sent by the Aurors to kill the exonerated Death Eaters. And as Harry expected, it had created quite a riot against Professor Quirrell. Harry knew that if they found out that he was lying, he'd be hanged for this. But he was careful... and he chose his words well, because by the end, everyone was willing to pitch in to harass Quirrell.  
  
''I only brought dung bombs.'' Draco whispered to Harry.   
  
''Glue them under his chair and set it off when he sits down. You know how he doesn't come in until five minutes after the bell.''  
  
''Hey you two, so whatcha planning?'' Pansy asked as she poked her head between them. Draco smirked and told her.  
  
Pansy had a wicked look on her face, ''Heard from the Hufflepuffs that today's topic is Tomathor lizards, real sharp teeth and a penchant for eating mice. They said he's got two and but he fed only one of them during class, so he hasn't fed the other one yet. Millicent and I are going to sneak dead mice into his pockets.''  
  
Millicent passed by and waved at them and then shared an evil look with Pansy.   
  
As the Slytherins sat down, they each traded conspiring glances, all of them having their own prank to make Professor Quirrell's life a living hell.   
  
The Ravenclaws were all too busy trying to read the information on the syllabus that day to notice that the Slytherins were unusually quiet.   
  
Soon the bell ran, a few last straggling students came in. And just on the clock, five minutes after the bell ran Professor Quirrell came in.   
  
Harry heard Pansy whisper behind him. ''Show time.''  
  
First, Professor Quirrell, came in and nothing seemed amiss as he explained today's creature that they would look at was a Tomathor lizard. He wrote the name on the board and asked for information on the lizard. As usual, the Ravenclaws answered.   
  
Professor Quirrell nodded and headed to his seat to write down the added points to Ravenclaw. As he sat down, it set off the dung bombs.   
  
Professor Quirrell jumped, ''W-what ...?''  
  
''Aw man! Professor! Did you have beans for lunch?'' Crabbe said as loudly as possible and theatrically pretended that the smell was making him sick. The Slytherins around him were also making loud whines and gagging sounds.   
  
''I-I...I'' The Professor stuttered. ''But I didn't have...''  
  
But this attempt to say anything was covered by the Slytherin's loud moans of pain at having to smell the concentrated dung bombs.   
  
Eventually Professor Quirrell finally gathered his bearings and cast a charm to get rid of the smell. But the humiliation on his face was very evident. He quickly muttered something about the lizard and then headed out of the room to retrieve it.   
  
During this time Harry and Draco quickly turned around and whispered to Pansy and Millicent, ''So when?''  
  
''He likes to put the creature at the front of the room and lecture about it for a little bit before he takes it out. We'll put it in his pockets as he's talking.'' Pansy whispered.   
  
Professor Quirrell came in with the Tomathor lizard and just as Harry had imagined it, it looked really, really vicious. It was striped black, red and orange, with a bunch of spikes around it's triangular head. It was tiny but very formidable with its sharp teeth that were so long that some of them were sticking outside of its jaw.   
  
The DADA professor placed the cage on the desk in front of the class and started to walk up and down the isles talking about the creature's background and its potion uses. As he passed by Millicent, she snuck a dead mouse into his left pocket and as he passed by Pansy, she snuck one into this right. Then Professor Quirrell finally finished his speech and went back up to the front of the class and went to open the lizard's cage. At first, the lizard looked like it was sleeping, but Harry had seen it peeking it's eyes out earlier, the little bugger was really tricky.   
  
Then when Professor Quirrell pulled it away from its cage a certain distance, the creature attacked. First it bit at the Professor's hand, and then it jumped at his chest, but not before creating a huge scar across his face as it's spiky head passed by. Then it started to tear at his robes viciously. The Professor started to scream as the lizard bit beyond where the mouse was and started to rip at his legs and clothes. When it finally found the mouse, took it into his mouth and swallowed it in one gulp, but it was still hungry and it still smelled the mouse in his other pocket. It started to go inside of Professor Qurriell's robes to get to the other mouse when the professor finally got a hold of the lizard and tried to pull it away from him.   
  
Consequently he had his arms scratched up and hit face bitten several times before he finally put the lizard back in and locked the cage. He was a bloody mess and panting erratically. He finally moved away from the cage and jerkily walked over to the sink to clean off the blood, but once the water hit entire forearm he let out a shriek of pain and dashed away from the sink.   
  
Pansy subtly turned her head and looked at Harry. Harry mouthed at her, ''salt water.''  
  
Then as the Professor tried to leave the classroom, a huge bucket of sludge dropped on him.   
  
Draco leaned forward and whispered, ''Courtesy of Crabbe and Goyle, 'old school' but still very effective.''  
  
Then finally Nott added the finishing touch by sending a small zap at the Tomathor lizard's cage and unlocking it. The creature that had been butting at the door suddenly came free and then made a mad dash towards the injured and sludge covered Professor.   
  
There were screams and cries of help echoing up and down the halls for the next fifteen minutes until Professor Vector and Filch found him.   
  
~~~  
  
Throughout the day, the Slytherins had to slip into the bathrooms or corners to keep themselves from choking to death from laughing every time they heard someone start with, ''Did you hear what happened to Professor Quirrell?''  
  
By the end of the day, the Slytherins found themselves congregated in the common room letting out the laughs and guffaws they had to hold in all day. Draco was laughing so hard that that he was rolling on the couch. Harry had to take off his glasses since he couldn't stop tearing up from laughing. Pansy and Millicent's faces were red from lack of oxygen.   
  
It wasn't until Professor Snape came in that they all suddenly stopped.   
  
''I should have known you all were responsible for this.'' He started with a growled. The groups quickly tried to regain their composure, bit it was difficult since a few giggles would rise to the surface.   
  
When everyone finally quieted down, Snape started again, ''Do you know the extent of the damage you have done to Professor Quirrell?''  
  
''Did he get his bits eaten?'' Crabbe suddenly said in a bout of stupidity. But it caused the group to go into hysterics again.   
  
It took another five minutes for them calm down before Snape resumed, ''No, but he is badly injured and you have wasted the Hogwarts staffs' time trying to catch that stupid Tomathor lizard, if I ever find you pulling this sort of prank again. The lot of you will be expelled! I ought –''  
  
''Severus.'' A wizened voice announced behind the potions master. Snape and the Slytherins turned and found that Headmaster Dumbledore had flooed in. The Headmaster quickly walked over to Professor Snape and whispered something in his ear. Snape suddenly stopped looking pissed off and in fact his face was contorted in surprise, ''You're sure?''  
  
''Positive.'' Albus replied with severe seriousness in his tone. And then he went back through the floo just as quickly as he came in.  
  
Snape turned to the Slytherins and said with a final glare, ''You get off this time, but don't do it again.''  
  
With that he swept around and followed Dumbledore to the floo. The group caught them calling, ''Hospital Wing.'' before disappearing into the fire.   
  
Draco let out a relieved breath, ''You know, I think for once, I'm thankful that Dumbledore is the Headmaster.''  
  
''Yeah, we didn't even get punished,'' Nott commented.   
  
''Hey!'' Pansy suddenly said, ''What if Harry is right and Quirrell really is a spy of some sort. The Headmaster certainly looked like someone had dumped lime juice in his tea.''  
  
The group murmured that it made sense.  
  
''But why would the Headmaster try to catch a spy that's against the Death Eaters?'' Nott asked.  
  
''Maybe he was trying to hurt us. It's the school's obligation to protect us, after all. You've heard of those corrupt Aurors haven't you?'' Millicent said.  
  
''Well, better him than us right?'' Draco said smugly.   
  
''I say we celebrate.'' Harry said with a grin. The reason for his good mood wasn't exactly the same as the Slytherins, but they didn't need to know that.  
  
''Come on Draco, we're going to sneak some butterbeer from the kitchen. Be back in a bit.''  
  
The group cheered and the two headed off to gather some party treats.   
  
~~~  
  
For the rest of the year, DADA classes were cancelled, it was rumored that Quirrell was sent to Azkaban, and the third floor was suddenly opened once more.   
  
When Geoffery heard the news, he was certainly surprised.   
  
Later that evening, him and the three other Gryffindor boys went onto the third floor and went into the room that was supposed to have the three headed giant dog.   
  
Only that, there was no three headed giant dog and there was no trap door. Geoffery pointed at the spot where the door was in confusion, ''But I could have sworn it was there!''  
  
The Gryffindors rolled their eyes and muttered that Geofferey was a few bricks short of a house. After a while, they eventually left him in the room trying to find any cracks in the floor where a door should have been.   
  
~~~  
  
End of Year 1  
  
~~~  
  
A/N: Don't worry, I already have a portion of year 2 written out, and I'll update as often as I can. ^_^ thank you to everyone who responded. 


	10. chapter 10

''Don't tear that out'' Harry muttered to Draco, ''Look at how close the words are to the spine, if you miss a few words you could be sending yourself to the middle of the bloody artic.''  
  
''Then how do you propose I get this spell?'' Draco hissed, trying to get the book back.   
  
Harry put a hand on the book and muttered a spell and instantly a copied page appeared under his hand.   
  
''Hey, the school year hasn't started yet!'' Draco whispered in surprise, ''You're going to get us into bloody trouble!''  
  
''My dad found out that the Ministry actually lifts the underaged warning spell three days before school starts, but most kids don't know that,'' Harry whispered.  
  
''I got to try that out then.'' Draco muttered.   
  
''Draco.'' Lucius called from the doorway. Draco looked down and murmured to Harry, ''That's my father.''  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, ''Of course I know he's your father, you see any other platinum blondes around here.''  
  
''Shut up.'' Draco replied and headed down.   
  
When all of a sudden. ''Some people are trying to get around, remove yourself from the doorway Lucius.''  
  
Harry winced and wanted to pounded his head against the shelf, he hated shopping with his father.  
  
Draco turned around and murmured, ''And that must be 'your' father.''  
  
''I sure wish it wasn't.''  
  
Lucius looked down at James Potter with distaste, ''Ah, James Potter, still ever present with this nasty tongue. Shall I remove it for you? I would be doing the world a favor.''  
  
The two of them started to argue in the doorway. And just then Harry spotted Ron waving at him from the window. Ron quietly went into the store and went behind Lucius and few shelves and finally stood besides Harry.   
  
''Hey mate.''  
  
''What are you doing here Weasel?'' Draco asked, his look almost mirrored his father's perfectly.   
  
''Books Draco, you've heard of them right?'' Ron mocked.   
  
''I would have thought you be looking at the thrif- '' Draco started, but he immediately stopped as he felt Harry drive a swift kick at his left leg. Draco glared up at Harry and Harry glared back.   
  
Ron suddenly changed the subject, ''So Harry... Uh, it looks like your dad and Malfoy's dad are going to kill each other.''  
  
Harry shrugged.   
  
''You aren't going to stop them?''  
  
''My dad can take care of himself, besides, if try to intervene, I'll get lectured at for hours.''  
  
''Bet my dad could beat the crap out of your dad.'' Draco said cockily.   
  
''I'm sure he could,'' Harry replied in a bored voice. Draco visibly sulked, he hated when Harry refused to argue back. Harry turned to Ron, ''You think your mum would mind a eighth child?''  
  
''You? Nah she won't mind, she'll be ecstatic.''  
  
They blandly watched the arguing go on for a bit longer.   
  
''You know my brother got free books from Lockhart and a photo by the Daily Prophet.'' Harry muttered.   
  
Draco snorted, ''Bet he loved that.''  
  
''Yeah, he was preening the whole time with his chest was puffed out. It looks like he messed up a breast engorgement charm.''  
  
Ron snorted and started to laugh out loud.  
  
Draco was smirking just a bit too, then he frowned as he looked back to the arguing fathers, ''I think we better get going. The longer my father argues, the longer he'll rant about it when he gets home. See you at school Potty. Weasel.''  
  
Ron turned to Harry, ''He just insists on messing up everyone's name huh?''  
  
Harry shrugged.   
  
~~~  
  
The next day on the train.  
  
''Wait, what did you say happened to your brother?'' Draco asked Harry in the last Slytherin compartment.  
  
''He was trying to get through the wall between station nine and ten, but he couldn't get in. Mom and Dad had to stay behind. So they're flying over to Hogwarts right now by broom.''  
  
''Huh, weird.''  
  
''Actually, there's some even stranger stuff.'' Harry continued, ''This house elf showed up at our house only a few days before and it kept saying that Jerry shouldn't go to Hogwarts because he would be in danger.''  
  
''And?''  
  
''My dad was a prat, called it a liar, and kicked it out.'' Harry muttered.  
  
''You actually feel sorry for it? It's just a house elf.'' Draco said with a confused look on his face.  
  
Harry made a face and then thought for a second, ''If you had a pet, would you kick it?''  
  
''No...''  
  
''Well aren't house elves sort of like pets? But instead of shitting all over the place and eating everything, they clean your house and stuff.''  
  
''But they're ugly.''  
  
''I've seen uglier humans.''  
  
''Then you should kick them too.''  
  
Harry blinked, ''You know what, take a nap Malfoy, it's obvious the trip had burned out your brains.''  
  
''What I don't get is why you feel sorry for that house elf, they're just slaves.''  
  
Harry gave a irritated sigh, ''Nevermind.''  
  
''You're the one that's bloody weird.''  
  
Harry refused to take the bait and primly open his knapsack and pulled out a book on Transfiguration. Draco resorted to staring out the window.  
  
The two of them were quiet for at least half an hour until Ron and Hermione's head popped in.   
  
''Well if it isn't the Gryffindorks.'' Draco muttered as he glared at the two of them.   
  
Ron looked over at Draco and then at Harry, ''What crawled up his arse?''  
  
Harry shook his head, ''It's nothing. He's just being a prat.''  
  
Ron raised a brow and then decided to sit next to Harry, Hermione followed suit and sat next to Ron so that Ron was sitting between Harry and Hermione.   
  
Draco glowered, ''What you two doing here?'  
  
''Percy is being an even bigger prat on one end of the Gryff's cart and Jerry is being a moron on the other end. We got tired of listening to them talk about how great Lockhart is.''  
  
''Or how great the Ministry is.'' Hermione finished.  
  
Harry groaned, ''Jerry's in love with Lockhart.''  
  
''Really, didn't know your brother was a poof.'' Ron suddenly said.   
  
Hermione reached over and smacked Ron's head, ''Not literally stupid.''  
  
Draco smirked, ''Even I got that Weasel.''  
  
Hermione pulled out her DADA text, ''He's not 'that' bad. I mean, I've read his books, they're accurate. A bit grandiose but all of the spells he used are correct.''  
  
Draco leaned back haughtily and looked down at Harry and Gryffindors, ''Rumor has it that those things didn't happen to him.''  
  
''But they say...''  
  
''You going to believe everything that man says mudblood?'' Draco taunted.   
  
Hermione's face suddenly contorted in fury, ''Shut up you pompous prick!''  
  
''Or you'll what 'MUD-BLOOD'.'' Draco said again, slowly, emphasizing each letter.  
  
''I dare you say it again Draco.'' Hermione growled.   
  
''Mudbl-ah!'' Draco ended in a yelp as Hermione threw a pimple hex at him.   
  
''How dare you!'' Draco yelled as he whipped out his wand.  
  
Harry turned to Ron calmly, ''I heard Crabbe and Goyle got a bunch of snacks earlier. You want to see if they'll share?''  
  
''Good idea mate.''   
  
The two of them quickly exited the compartment and let Draco and Hermione duke it out.   
  
Ron stared at the door, ''So, who do you think will win? I say Hermione, the girls always win.''  
  
''Why do you say that?'' Harry asked, a but surprised.   
  
''They just have to know where to kick.'' Ron said as he pulled his robes a bit tightly over his private area.  
  
''You and Hermione get into argument?''  
  
''No, but Seamus did, he walked and talked funny for a whole day.'' Ron said weakly, feeling very sorry for this dorm mate.  
  
Harry winced, ''I'll keep that in mind.'' 


	11. chapter 11

When the train was only half an hour away from Hogwarts, a very sated and slightly sugar buzzed Ron and Harry returned to where they left Draco and Hermione.   
  
When they peered in they saw that Hermione's hair was green, she was covered in purple polka dots and was coughing out bubbles. Draco, on the other hand was unconscious, had a fist imprint on his pimple covered cheek, he had feathers sticking out everywhere and his robes had been turned neon pink.   
  
Harry looked at Ron, ''Why don't you fix up Hermione and I'll fix up Draco.''  
  
Ron nervously helped Hermione out of the compartment and tried to undo some of the hexes Draco threw at her. Harry, in the meantime, started on getting rid of the magical hexes before he dealt with the affects of Hermione's punch.   
  
The fixing up nearly took the both of them the rest of the trip and Draco was only woken up in the end with a combined Enervate from Harry and Ron. When Draco woke up, the moment he spotted Hermione, he quickly back up, ''Get her away from me! She's crazy!''  
  
Harry held a hand out, ''Draco calm down, she's not going to attack you...''  
  
''I sure will if he says 'that' word again.'' Hermione said threateningly.   
  
Draco shrank back into his chair. Harry stood up and held a hand up to Hermione, ''Okay okay, he's not going to. Can you put that away? You're going to give him a seizure.''  
  
''No, I need to hear it from him!'' Hermione growled.   
  
Harry turned around, ''Draco, for your own health, just say you won't do it anymore.''  
  
''Fine! I won't call you a mudblood anymore! Happy?!'' Draco snapped.   
  
Hermione visibly calmed down, ''Good.''   
  
Draco had hoped that afterwards they would leave and go back to their Gryffindor section. But instead, they took the seat across from him and Harry. And Draco sulked the rest of the way to the Hogsmeade station.   
  
~~~  
  
''Now how did you manage this?'' Poppy fussed as she looked at Draco's bruise on his cheek.   
  
''I wasn't watching, I bumped into a wall...''  
  
''More like ran into it.'' Madam Pomfrey muttered as she finally let go of his face and went into her stores to retrieve a bruise healing potion.   
  
After Draco drank it down, his bruise quickly disappeared and his cheek was no longer reddish purple anymore. But he was still sulking from the humiliation.  
  
''Now hurry to the Great Hall, the both of you. The sorting ceremony is starting.''  
  
Draco and Harry complied and exited the hospital wing, but as they made their way to the Great Hall, the Headmaster stopped them, ''Mr. Malfoy, why don't you go ahead. I need to have a word with Harry.''  
  
Draco shot a glance at Harry. Harry shrugged, he didn't know what was going on either.   
  
Draco hesitated for a second, but finally went on his way and headed towards the Great Hall.   
  
~~~  
  
''Now, Harry can you describe the house elf you saw?'' The Headmaster asked as he led Harry to his office.  
  
Harry's eyes flickered in confusion, ''Why?''  
  
''Your father says that this house elf could be a suspect in the reason why your brother was kept from Hogwarts. Your father says it was threatening Jerry.''  
  
Harry shook his head, ''It wasn't, it was just warning Jerry, it said that Hogwarts wasn't safe and that it would be safer if Jerry stayed at home. That's all, it didn't attempt to hurt anyone.''  
  
The Headmaster frowned, ''Harry, I assure that Hogwarts is very safe and that no harm will come to your brother.''  
  
Harry blinked and shrugged, ''Okay...''  
  
''Now, do you know why this house elf would say such a thing?''  
  
Harry shook his head again, ''Dad threw it out before it could say more.''  
  
Dumbledore looked grave, ''I see. Was there any defining trait? Or perhaps even a name?''  
  
''It wore a tattered old pillowcase, but most house elves I've seen wear those... so, I don't know, nothing special.'' Harry lied, he wasn't about to tell the Headmaster that when he opened the front door, it introduced itself as Dobby. Who knows what Dumbledore or perhaps even his father would do to it.  
  
''I see, well then. Off you go.''  
  
~~~  
  
Near the end of dinner Snape came up to Harry and murmured, ''See me in my office after dinner.''  
  
Harry nodded and then watched his Head of House leave.   
  
Draco happened also be watching, ''You sure are popular today. So, what happened with Dumbledore?''  
  
''Remember that house elf I mentioned?''  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
'He wanted me to tell him the name of it and how it looked like.''  
  
Draco snorted, ''Good luck, they all look the same to me.''  
  
''Yeah, that's what I said.''  
  
''So, what'd you tell him?''  
  
''It was wearing an old pillowcase.''   
  
''Every third house elf that exists wears an old pillowcase. Did you tell him it's name?''  
  
''Uh... I didn't hear it.''  
  
''Nice try Potter, but I have house elves remember? They always talk in third person.''  
  
Harry looked away, ''I don't want to talk about it... what if he hears?''  
  
''Why are you protecting it?''  
  
Harry was really sick of this argument, so he twisted it to suit Draco's logic, ''If you knew something, no matter how trivial, that the Headmaster really wanted, would you tell him?''  
  
Draco scoffed, ''No.''  
  
''Well, there you go.''  
  
~~~  
  
''You wanted to see me?'' Harry asked as he came into Professor Snape's office.  
  
Snape's obsidian eyes darted up and then he held out a hand and crooked a thin potion stained finger at the chair in front of the desk, ''Sit.''  
  
Harry felt the sinking feeling in his stomach grow heavier as he drew closer. He squirmed a little in the chair and then stared forward at something trivial on Snape's desk.   
  
''Potter, do you know why you're here?'' Snape asked. It was an exact repeat of what he said back in Harry's First year.   
  
''You're protecting me from a group of bullying Gryffindors?''  
  
Snape raised a brow and then snorted as he also recalled the exact same phrase, ''No, not this time. This time you are here because it has come to my attention that your potion making abilities are worse than poor.''  
  
Harry gulped.  
  
''I know you're very competent in the theory of potions, however your hands-on application of it is only a little better than Longbottom's. You're very absent-minded when you go through the process. You timing is wrong, you don't stir the right direction, you don't know the difference between chopped and diced, you measure incorrect amounts, amongst other things. You have to capability of being a good potions student, but you simply don't know how to apply them. Therefore, I do believe you need a tutor this year.''  
  
''Oh. Um, who?''  
  
''It'll either be me or Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw, he's the only student that I think has the potential to be a potions master. He will tell you the basics of how to prepare your ingredients to recognize what you've done to your potion before it's too late. Is that understood?''  
  
''Yes sir.''  
  
''Your sessions will be on Monday and Wednesday after your last class of the day.''  
  
Harry nodded.   
  
''Good, now go.''  
  
~~~  
  
''Potter, I want to have a word with you.'' Draco mocked as he tried to look like a teacher with his best Mrs. McGonagall accent.   
  
Harry looked up, ''Nice Draco, perhaps you should be a Hogwarts teacher.''  
  
Draco walked over and hopped onto his own bed, ''Yeah right, I'd rather die than be a teacher.''  
  
''Not make enough money for you?''  
  
''No, it's the bloody kids. I'm one right now, I know how we think and I don't think I could go a day without hexing one of my students.''  
  
''Professor Snape looks like he would love to do the same thing.''  
  
''Professor Snape has better restraint than I do.'' Draco muttered sleepily as he raised his head a little and glanced over at Harry. ''Reading again? I swear, you're worse than Granger.''  
  
''It's not school stuff, just Transfiguration stuff.''  
  
Draco made a face, ''Isn't that the same thing?''  
  
''It's a book on how to become an Animagus.''  
  
Draco suddenly sat up, looking very interested, ''Really?''  
  
Harry looked at him, ''So you want to too huh?''  
  
''Heh, who doesn't want to be one?''  
  
''My uncle Sirius and my Father are Animagi. They said they managed it during their time at Hogwarts before their Fifth year.''  
  
''I'm impressed. My father never finished his.''  
  
''Why not?''  
  
''He stopped when he noticed that he was a bit scaly during his initial transformation.''  
  
''I thought your father would like to become a reptile, he was Slytherin wasn't he?''  
  
''Actually, it was scaly as in fish scaly. He didn't think it was worth the effort if it meant that he could only travel by water. So he stopped.''  
  
''Ah. Well, what do you want to be?''  
  
Draco gave Harry a look an pointed at his name imprinted at the head of his bead. Harry snorted, ''Of course you want to be a dragon.''  
  
''And you Potty?''  
  
''Not sure... but I think if ended being a fish, I'd be a bit disappointed too.''  
  
''Yeah...Actually, I think Weasel might end up a fish.''  
  
''Why would you say that?''  
  
''He always has that stupid expression on his face with his eyes popped out and his mouth gaping open like a big bass.'' Draco said, trying his best to imitate Ron. His attempts sent Harry rolling on his bed laughing.   
  
Eventually Harry calmed down and Draco walked over, ''scoot over Potty, I want to read too.''  
  
''Can't you read after I'm done?''  
  
''I'm not going to let you become an animagus before I do!'' Draco growled, ''Now scoot!''  
  
Harry grumbled as he moved over and let Draco onto his bed. ''Don't put your dirty shoes on my pillow.''  
  
Draco had a wicked grin on his face as he touched the tip of his boot onto Harry's pillow and then ... found himself face flat on the ground.   
  
''Dammit Potty! That hurt!''  
  
~~~  
  
''Hello Class!'' Gilderoy Lockhart said as he came in wearing frilly baby blue robes. Harry and Draco traded looks of disgust.   
  
Lockhart rambled a little longer about his own magnificence, never really covering the curriculum. And then he pulled out a stack of papers, ''Now class, we are going to have a pop quiz!''  
  
Harry picked up the test, expecting it to be a sort of DADA test to wager their skill. Instead the questions were things such as, ''What's Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?, What's Gilderoy Lockhart's middle name?, etc.''  
  
Draco leaned over and whispered, ''You've got to be kidding me.''  
  
Harry turned to him, ''I didn't even read his books.''  
  
''None?''  
  
''I thought they were nonsense.'' Harry muttered  
  
''You're a worse bookworm than Granger and she read them.''  
  
''Hermione has a crush on him, of course she read them.''  
  
''I thought she was smart.''  
  
Unfortunately, even Harry couldn't defend Hermione in this situation. He agreed with Draco that her crush on Lockhart was pretty stupid.   
  
''Hey.'' Draco whispered, ''Let's just make up the worse answers possible.''  
  
Harry grinned, ''Okay.''  
  
~~~  
  
When Lockhart collect the papers, he would look at them to see how to students answered. When he came across Draco's paper, he read out loud, without previewing first, ''What is my middle name? And Draco here replied: Knickers.... No wait... What?!''  
  
But the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs had already caught the mess up and were laughing out loud at their DADA professor.  
  
Lockhart sputtered, unsure of what to do and then finally he managed to say, ''Ten points from Draco! No wait... uh.. Slytherin... no no. uh, Ten points from Slytherin!''  
  
Although Draco had lost the house points, they didn't really seem to care as they continued to snicker.   
  
Draco nudged Harry with his elbow, ''We're going to have a lot of fun this year.''  
  
~~~  
  
By lunch, what had happened during the second year Slythern/Ravenclaw DADA class had spread throughout the school. A lot of the guys were subtly giving Draco the thumbs up despite the fact that he was a Slytherin.   
  
As they sat down to lunch, Flint walked over and talked to them, ''We have practice during study period.''  
  
Harry and Draco nodded. But later when they went out onto the pitch, they found Gryffindor already heading out there.   
  
''We've already booked the pitch.'' Flint growled as he sized up Wood. Wood stuck a scroll in his face, ''McGonagall gave us a note.''  
  
Flint took it from his hand and skimmed it, ''You're training a new seeker?''  
  
''That's right'' Jerry said cockily as he appeared before the Slytherin Quidditch team.   
  
''Oh! It's the Giant Squid's girlfriend!'' One of the players called out, ''Why don't come back after you learn how to pull out of a simple dive.''  
  
The Slytherins started laugh at Jerry and it grew louder as Jerry's face turned a bunch of shades of purple.   
  
''Look!'' Wood interrupted, ''Rule book says that a teacher's note overrides any booking on the pitch, so we get to- ''  
  
Flint stuck a hand out and shoved Oliver over, ''We don't give a shit Wood. We booked the pitch and we're practicin', if you insist on training the rookie (Flint made sure to stretch out and emphasize that word) you can use the pitch with us. At your own risk.''  
  
With that the Slytherins left and headed off.   
  
~~~  
  
Foolhardy as always, Jerry decided to use the pitch with the Slytherins.   
  
Harry was practicing with a silver snitch Ron had gotten him and owled him for his birthday when Jerry suddenly came tumbling through and started to go after the silver ball.   
  
''Hey!'' The Slytherin beater yelled out, ''Get your own bloody snitch Gryffindork!''  
  
Jerry flipped him off and continued to chase the silver snitch. The beater growled and then shot Harry a look, Harry glanced over at him and said, ''Just remember, I had nothing to do with this.''  
  
At that prompt, the beater grinned and went after Jerry.   
  
Half an hour later Jerry was dragged off of the field with a broken arm and the same broken hand that had flipped off the beater.   
  
Flint floated up next to the beater with an amused grin on his face, ''Now if only you had sort of precision in a 'real' game.'' 


	12. chapter 12

School was pretty normal for most of the fall. Classes went along smoothly, there was the school wide flu/cold.  
  
But it wasn't until Halloween that something strange had happened.  
  
That night Harry and Draco had snuck out of the Slytherin tower under Harry's invisibility cloak to get some food from the kitchen, they had both forgotten about the time while reading the Animagus book and managed to miss dinner. As they came down the halls, Harry suddenly heard a hissing voice saying, "I smell blood…Kill…. Kill…."  
  
Harry froze and Draco stopped in his steps and looked back at Harry, "What is it?"  
  
"Did you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"That voice… It was saying… it was going to kill something." Harry said, trailing off a bit.   
  
Draco narrowed his eyes as he tried to listen at whatever Harry head heard, "I don't hear anything."  
  
"Kill…"  
  
"There!"  
  
"Potty, I don't bloody hear anything. Are you sure you didn't get hit in the head during practice?"  
  
"I'm positive. I know what I heard."  
  
"But I don't hear it."  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"Come on…" Draco growled and they continued down the steps and towards the kitchens when suddenly Draco stopped.   
  
Harry then ran into his back, "What?! Do you hear it now?"  
  
"No… But…look, what is that?" Draco said as his arm extended and pointed up at the wall covered in blood.   
  
Harry read the words, "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware."  
  
"Chamber of Secrets, Chamber of Secrets… I remember this… I think my father mentioned it over the summer." Draco muttered as he rubbed his blonde hair, trying to think.   
  
Harry took a look around and then gasped as he suddenly shook Draco's shoulder, "Holy shite! Look at that!"  
  
It was Mrs. Norris, petrified.  
  
They started to move towards the stairs, Draco started, "I think we can skip dinner, just today… may we should head back."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
But suddenly they heard footsteps and the teachers and students were clamoring towards them from both sides.   
  
"Bloody hell, we're trapped." Draco said as he tugged Harry back until they were between the two groups blocking both exits out of the hall.   
  
"My cat!" Filch was screeching and Dumbledore was trying to soothe him by saying, "Now Argus, Professor Sprout has been growing mandrakes that can cure your companion of it's petrified state."  
  
Snape unexpectedly stalked over and looked at the words, when his elbow suddenly caught onto the edge of Harry's invisibility cloak. His dark eyes suddenly darted to where they were standing and they narrowed as he held his hand out, as if trying to grope at them. Harry and Draco quickly took a few steps back so the fingers didn't touch them or the cloak.   
  
"Is something the matter Severus?"  
  
Snape turned around and then shook his head, "No, it's nothing Headmaster. I suggest we get the student back to their towers."  
  
"Yes, I agree. Prefects, please guide your charges back to their respective towers. It may not be safe out tonight."  
  
The Prefects nodded and started to usher the students away. Harry and Draco made sure to follow closely behind the Slytherins.  
  
Actually, a bit too close. Since Pansy let out a small yelp as Draco accidentally tread on her heel. She turned around and looked behind her nervously, but she was one of the last people.   
  
Draco leaned forward a bit and whispered, "Pansy, it's me, Draco, sorry about that."  
  
Pansy's eyes widened as she looked back a bit, "Draco? Where are you?"  
  
"Potter and I are under his invisibility cloak."  
  
"Why are you…Did you do that?" Pansy asked as she looked back at the blood covered wall.  
  
"No. Potter and I were going to get food from the kitchens when we came across the writing on the wall and Filch's cat."  
  
Harry's stomach growled audibly.  
  
Pansy whispered back, "I guess you two didn't get anything to eat then."  
  
"The teachers and students surrounded the hall before we could head in either direction."  
  
"The girls and I have some candy and crackers stashed away. We'll give some to you two. But don't make this a habit."  
  
"Thanks Pansy." Draco replied.  
  
Draco walked back and forth in the common room as he munched on some of Pansy's cheese crackers. Harry and him were the only ones up since the writing was bothering Draco, because he remembered something, and Draco wouldn't let Harry sleep since he wanted someone to talk to once he remembered whatever it was.  
  
"Can't you sit down? You're making me dizzy." Harry said. From his lying position on the couch.   
  
"I'm telling you I remember my father mentioning a Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts."  
  
"That's the tenth time you've said that.We'll just go to the library tomorrow and look it up."  
  
"He said it had something to do with a girl dying… I think a mud- "  
  
"Don't finish that word." Harry said.  
  
"What?! She's not here."  
  
"But I am."  
  
"Geez Potty, you have a pole up your arse all the time?"  
  
"Only when you're rambling like a loony let out of Azkaban after thirty years."  
  
" I'm not rambling! Besides, I'm not the one hearing voices."  
  
"Fine, for your sake. I'll say I didn't hear voices okay?"  
  
"No! I mean… Are you sure you heard?"  
  
"I guess…" Harry muttered, but he was doubting himself more and more now.  
  
"You know it could be related to the Troll incident."  
  
Harry made a face, "Troll incident?"  
  
"Yeah, when you were doing that really weird magic thing, I could hear whispering, like voices coming out of nowhere."  
  
"I don't … think that has to do with this." Harry said in an unsure manner. "This sort of sounded like… hissing."  
  
"Hissing? Like a snake?"  
  
"Ye- " Harry started and then he suddenly froze.  
  
"What is it Potter?"  
  
"Oh my god. It can't be. I totally forgot about it."  
  
"Forgot about what?"  
  
"Last year, I was doing a sort of weird… meditating thing. And I was feeling through the school, digging down through Hogwarts, just feeling the floors and everything. And then…"  
  
"And then what?"  
  
"I came upon this… thing, it was scaly…"  
  
"Like a snake." Draco repleated more slowly.  
  
"Yeah… it was a snake. A Giant Snake…it was sleeping."  
  
"Giant Snake?…Like a basilisk?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"When did you see this Potter?"  
  
"Last year… uh, after that game against Hufflepuff. After everyone went to bed…"  
  
Draco made a face, "It makes sense I guess…"  
  
"What does?"  
  
"Father said that the Chamber of Secrets was built by Salazar Slytherin."  
  
Harry closed his eyes, "Right. Hence… a basilisk."  
  
"Potter, can you do that meditating thing again?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To check if it's still there."  
  
"Um… okay, I'll try." Harry said as he got off of the couch and scooted to the rug on the floor. Draco grabbed a hold of the sides of the center coffee table and moved it over so Harry would have more room.   
  
"Ready?"  
  
Harry nodded and then he started.   
  
He started with the things that bothered him. Dobby's ominous message, Jerry possibly trying to hurt him after the incident earlier today. Draco knowing so much about the Chamber of Secrets, Draco's father mentioning it to Draco right before this happened…The writing on the wall… the petrified cat….   
  
Then he wiped it all away and stared to reach down.   
  
Once again he could feel through the stones of Hogwarts that made up the halls, the classrooms, the offices, the towers. Then he went deeper, past the lower dungeons where the more difficult Potions labs took place. Deeper, deeper… until… He came upon scales again. And then he moved along the scales until he reached the face of the snake. Its eyes were open.   
  
Harry pulled back as fast as he could, jumped up, and stumbled back in fear. Draco was up too, walking towards Harry, "What is it?"  
  
"It's awake." Harry said, trying to stop his hands from shaking.   
  
Should we tell Snape? Harry read the note Draco passed to him during Transfiguration.  
  
I don't know. What if I'm wrong and we get in trouble by sending them on a wild goose chase? Harry replied and slid the note over to Draco.   
  
I got a letter from my father during breakfast Draco wrote and gave it to Harry.  
  
What did he say?  
  
I don't know, I haven't opened it yet. But the timing… I think it's about the Chamber of Secrets  
  
Really?  
  
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, no passing notes in class!" Professor McGonagall suddenly bellowed and then she held out her hand, "Accio note!"  
  
The note flew into her hand before either Harry or Draco could make a grab for it. The Transfigurations Professor looked down at the note and skimmed it, then she looked up, I will see the both of you after class."  
  
"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Mrs. McGonagall said as she held up the note.  
  
Harry and Draco traded glances, Harry quickly said, "It's nothing. Just wild speculations."  
  
"Even wild speculations may have some truth in them."  
  
"Look, we don't…"  
  
"Or would you rather tell Professor Snape what you know?" Professor McGonagall said.   
  
"Uh… yeah…" Harry answered quickly as both he and Draco nodded frantically hoping that she would drop the interrogation and they could just … slip by Snape.  
  
But no, she was headed to the fireplace and…  
  
"Professor Snape!" She yelled into the Floo induced fire. "A word with you with you please."  
  
Moments later the black clad Professor came out of the Floo, "Yes Minerva?"  
  
"Your students have something to tell you."  
  
Both Harry and Draco looked deflated as they winced and then started on what they had found out.   
  
"And why should we assume that your 'meditation thing', as you so eloquently put it, is in any way accurate? After all, earlier you mentioned that you were hearing voices." Snape said, glowering down at Harry.  
  
Harry appeared frustrated, "Look, we're not tell you to believe in anything. In fact, we didn't even want to say anything because this is exactly what we thought would happen. We know it's farfetched."  
  
"You're saying that three to four stories under the dungeons lies a chamber that no one in this school has ever been able to find! And not only that! You're saying that there is a giant snake down there. And how, do you presume a thing as large as a basilisk moves through the Hogwarts halls?"  
  
"I'm not going to argue this with you Professor. It's completely pointless. Even we aren't sure this is true okay?"  
  
Professor Snape stopped talking and glared daggers down at both Slytherins, "If you can't verify anything, don't spread this ridiculous story around the school do you hear?"  
  
"Yes sir." Harry and Draco said at the same time and then they left for their next class, both feeling as if they had been skinned alive.   
  
A/N: Sorry, I ususally post on Wednesdays too, it's been a hectic week and I just finally finished my midterm and documenting my HashTable and Calculator programs. sigh If you're a novice, being a Computer Science Major is like ensuring that you'll go through 4 years of excruciating torture. I'm still wondering, 'What the hell did I get myself into?' Oh well, at least this quarter is better than the first quarter. (excluding the 14 paged midterm we just had, I dread to think how bad the Final will be .) 


	13. chapter 13

''It says that the basilisk's indirect gaze can petrify things.'' Draco said as he held the borrow library book to Harry's face.   
  
Harry rolled his eyes, ''I thought we dropped this. Snape's right, this does sound stupid...''  
  
''You know the weirder things are, the more likely they're true.''  
  
Harry threw up his hands and gave an exasperated sigh, ''Why do I even bother?''  
  
''Look can you just stop being a prat and just read this? It says that a direct gaze from a basilisk can kill people. Maybe we should be carrying around mirrors or something. I mean, worse case: we get petrified, but at least the mandrake potion can revive us. We get a full blast of this and we can end up dead. Are you listening to me?''  
  
''Isn't jumping into stupid situations a Gryffindor thing?'' Harry snapped at Draco, knowing it would agitate him, he really didn't want to be humiliated any more right now.  
  
Draco angrily scowled at him and then smack Harry's head with the book, ''Listen, after reading this, I remember the rest of what my father said, she said a girl died the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened.''  
  
Harry reached up and rubbed his head, wincing, ''Did you have to do that? Geez, Fine, have you read your father's letter yet?''  
  
''No.''  
  
''Well?''  
  
''I'll read it, but you have to read the book.'' Draco grumbled as he tossed Harry the book and he pulled the letter out of his robes and opened it with his clean buttering knife.   
  
He unfolded the letter and started to read it.  
  
When he was finished, he looked up at Harry, ''I think we might be right. The bottom of the letter says, 'P.S. carry a mirror on you.'.''  
  
''I think we should talk to Snape again.'' Draco said, looking at his spoon, seeing if it could make an adequate mirror.  
  
''He didn't believe us earlier, he's not going to believe us now. He's Snape, he's as paranoid as they get.''  
  
''What about the Headmaster?''  
  
''And what? Get patted on the head and have our mouths stuffed with lemon drops?''  
  
''Well then, we can't do anything.''  
  
''Why don't we look into this a little more. Maybe Snape will believe us if we have more substantial evidence.''  
  
''Grrreat, more research...'' Draco muttered stabbing his roll.  
  
''There aren't that many deaths at Hogwarts you know. The most recent one is around sixty years ago. It says here that Marinda Myrtle mysteriously died. But then it says that the Head Boy, Tom Riddle caught the culprit, which was a giant spider.''  
  
''Try earlier.'' Harry whispered as he continued to look through the school's record to see if there had been any sightings of snakes.  
  
''Everig Jarand was tricked by some students and managed to get flushed into the Lake. Since he couldn't swim and his legs were tangled up in seaweed, he managed to drown in the Lake.   
  
''Who flushed him?''  
  
''Uh, Ravenclaw girl... Korand Giela. It says here that her excuse was that he had cheated on her.''  
  
''Geez.''  
  
''Yeah, girls are bloody scary if you ask me.'' Draco muttered as he flipped back a little further.  
  
''Anything else?''  
  
''Well, the rest are deaths from the Grindelwald wars, which is not unusual.''  
  
''We're not getting anywhere.'' Harry groaned.  
  
Draco closed the record book and rested his head on it, '''m tired...''  
  
Harry shot Draco a exasperated look, ''We've only been here for two hours.''  
  
''Maybe we should ask a teacher.''  
  
''Didn't we already talk to Snape?''  
  
''Well, not him, someone else. Someone who's been here almost as long as Dumbledore.''  
  
''No, we already got in trouble once with McGonagall. Besides, she's not going to talk to a bunch of Slytherins.''  
  
''She's a teacher, she's supposed to counsel everyone, including Slytherins. Come one, what have we got to lose? We've already made fools of ourselves once. So now, we can only prove them wrong.''  
  
''Alright, alright.''  
  
''Okay, do you have your mirror?'' Draco said as he pulled out the circular object from his pocket.  
  
''Mirror?''  
  
''You moron! That's why we went back to our rooms! Why do you think we were there. Didn't I tell you already?! Last time a mudbl- AHH!'' Draco yelled as he felt a solid hand collide with the back of his head.  
  
Draco quickly whipped around and found Hermione glaring down at him, ''You want to finish that word Draco?''  
  
Draco quickly backed out his chair and ran behind Harry, ''Y-you stay away from me! I swear if I get sent to St. Mungo's for brain damage! My father will-!''  
  
''Mr. Malfoy, lower you voice!'' Madam Pince bellowed from her desk at the head of the library. Draco winced and ducked down a bit now, he hissed at Hermione, ''Dammit Granger, what's wrong with you?''  
  
''Nothing, it's just that name calling retards really displease me.''  
  
''I hope that snake eat y-mph!'' Draco started, but his mouth was covered by Harry's hand. After Draco dislodged the intruding hand, he growled, ''Who's side are you one anyways Potty?!''  
  
''I'm on the side where the both of you shut up stop trading blows. Now sit, Madam Pince is still staring at you like a hawk.''  
  
Sure enough, Harry was right and Draco quickly took a seat in the chair that was farthest away from Hermione.  
  
Harry turned to Hermione, ''I know you hate it when people say...m... that word. But you can't go around smacking people to make them stop.''  
  
''Some people need to have it beaten into their heads.''  
  
''Okay, I admit Draco is a little dim.''  
  
This earned Harry a kick in the shin under the table from Draco.  
  
Harry grimaced and then went on, ''But you're only making him paranoid.''  
  
Hermione huffed, ''Fine. But he has to make an effort not to say it.''  
  
Harry turned to Draco and Draco grumbled as he settled his chin onto the table, ''Fine Granger...''  
  
''Good... now what is this about mirrors?''  
  
Harry hesitated for a second, but then decided that maybe telling her was for the best.   
  
By the time he finished, Hermione expression was mixed with worry and skepticism, ''A basilisk? Those things are huge, an adult usually grows up to thirty to forty feet. How can anyone not notice one going through the school?''  
  
''We don't know. We're trying to figure that out.'' Draco said in a bored voice, he swore, if he had to hear or tell that story again today, he'd go insane.  
  
''Look, it wouldn't hurt to just carry a mirror. A pocket mirror or anything, I'm sure you girls usually carry mirrors on you anyways.''  
  
''Yeah yeah, fine, I'll carry a mirror...should I tell Ron?''  
  
''That'd be a good idea.''  
  
''Okay. Anything else?'' Hermione asked, getting ready to leave.   
  
''No. Just... be careful.''  
  
''Right''  
  
They decided to talk to McGonagall early Saturday morning, right before the Quidditch game, they figured that she would be distracted enough not to ask too many questions. But would still manage to provide some useful answers.   
  
Well, it didn't really work. In fact, she was even more cautious because the Quidditch game was Slytherin against Gryffindor and she thought that Harry and Draco might have been trying to pull a trick of some sort.   
  
''So much for good timing.'' Draco muttered.   
  
''Well...''  
  
''We could have asked her yesterday. And besides, it's not like we got any useful information. She repeated everything we read in the reports and Hogwarts, a History.''  
  
''Well, she did say one thing. Even though she wasn't even a student here at that time, the Headmaster was a Professor here.''  
  
''So, I guess we'll have to talk to him after all huh?''  
  
''Yeah, guess so. But let's keep it to the point. Just look concerned. I don't think we should let on that we know more than we should.''  
  



	14. chapter 14

''Do you know when the Chamber of Secrets was opened last time?'' Harry asked, fidgeting in the chair, as he glanced over at Draco, it as apparent that his friend felt just as uncomfortable or perhaps still jittery from the game. Slytherin had won again. Harry was a bit more reserved and perhaps even a bit worried. Although he disliked Jerry, Harry was still concerned over the rouge bludger that tried to smash Jerry's head in.  
  
Dumbledore looked a bit surprised and paused midway from handing them the lemon drop dish. ''Is there a reason for your interest?''  
  
''Well, we're just a bit worried is all.'' Draco quickly said, ''Seeing if we can do anything to stop whatever is happening.''  
  
Unfortunately, Draco wasn't a very good liar and Dumbledore looked skeptical, but in the end the Headmaster still answered their question, ''It was when I was still a Professor and Headmaster Dopplet was in charge. I remember the year very well, 1942 it was the same year that our dear groundskeeper was expelled from school, from being suspected of unleasing the monster.''  
  
''Hagrid? But he's not very ... uh... I mean, using blood to write on the wall?'' Harry asked, the things that happened and Hagrid's persona didn't match up.   
  
''He has a fondness for beasts, especially dangerous ones, as you both well know. Which is perhaps why he was suspected.''  
  
''Did you think he did it?''  
  
''No... I don't think so. Hagrid would never do such a thing.''  
  
''But if it was an accident...'' Draco said.  
  
''Yeah, but remember the writings Draco, it means that someone was doing it on purpose.''  
  
''Yes, I'm afraid Harry's observation is correct...'' Dumbledore started, but then he trailed off. He looked unsure of how much information he wanted to impart.  
  
''Do you have any idea who did it?'' Harry prodded.   
  
Dumbledore paused for a bit and then shook his head, but as he did so, he refused to look at Harry. It was enough for Harry to suspect something was up.  
  
''Um... the girl that died.'' Harry said, ''What was her name?''  
  
''Um... Mrs... I don't recall her first name, but... her last name was Myrtle.''  
  
''Thank you.''  
  
''Are you positive he said Myrtle.'' Hermione said, she has been passing by on her way to the dining hall when she came across Harry and Draco, Harry had then told her about their research so far.  
  
''Yeah, which means that we need to look deeper in the records to see if we can find out about that incident sixty years ago.'' Draco said.   
  
''Why not just directly ask the person?'' Hermione said.  
  
Harry and Draco turned to Hermione, ''What do you mean?''  
  
''I mean, Myrtle is one of Hogwart's ghosts. Her nickname is Moaning Myrtle and she occupies the bathroom the girl's bathroom on the second floor. We can go find her after lunch and talk to her.''  
  
''We?''  
  
''Look, I think you're onto something. And besides, you two would still be stuck in the stacks if I didn't tell you about Myrtle.''  
  
''She has a point.'' Harry said.  
  
''Just don't touch me okay?'' Draco warned her.  
  
Hermione just grinned (a bit eerily) at him and then headed over to the Gryffindor dining table.  
  
Myrtle's nickname was more than apparent the moment they opened to door into the girl's bathroom and heard moaning and splashing around the toilets. Ron made a face as he tried not to step in the puddle that Myrtle was making. Hermione had also informed him what was going on and he decided to come along.   
  
''I'm going to be wary of going to the toilet after this,'' Harry muttered. Ron and Draco nodded in agreement.  
  
''Moaning Myrtle?'' Hermione called out.  
  
Suddenly a pimply looking transparent girl with thick glasses and limp hair stuck her head out of the toilet door and narrowed her eyes at them, ''What do 'you' want? Here to make fun of me?!''  
  
''No!'' Hermione said quickly, ''We're here to ask you a question... about your death.''  
  
This made Myrtle stop her crying, in fact, her face had contorted in pleasure, ''Well, it all happened when Olive Hornby made fun of me. I came in here to get away from her and I was just here minding my own business when I heard a boy come in. He was saying a bunch of gibberish and I stuck my head out to tell him to 'get out' because this was the girls bathroom... and then I died!''  
  
The four corporeal students traded glances.   
  
''Do you remember anything else? Before you died?'' Hermione asked.  
  
''Yes, yellow eyes, great big ones. They had slits in them, like cat eyes, only not...they were evil looking.''  
  
''Snakes have slits in their eyes too.'' Draco murmured.  
  
Then Harry asked, ''Do you remember how the boy looked like?''  
  
Myrtle shook her head.  
  
''Wait.'' Draco started, ''How did the gibberish sound like?''  
  
''Sound like?'' Myrtle asked, confused.  
  
''You know, I mean did the noise the boy make sound strange or unique.''  
  
''Uh... It was like a bunch of ssssss.''  
  
Draco nodded, confirming his suspicions, ''Parseltongue.''  
  
''That's pretty rare.'' Harry commented, ''Do you think there may be records of who could speak animal languages.''  
  
''Even if so Harry,'' Hermione started, ''I don't think he would put his name down, if he was going to commit such a crime.''  
  
Draco raised a brow, ''Great, so now what?''  
  
They had tried to ask Myrtle some more questions, but eventually they wore her out and she started to throw a tantrum, so they made their escape and started to head back to their rooms. Ron and Hermione ran ahead because Ron forgot that he had to find Ginny since he hadn't seen her all day. Apparently Jerry had a crush on her and had it in his mind that she should be throwing herself at his feet because of that. Ginny really didn't like Jerry though and found herself hiding away with Ron and Hermione at times because she wanted to get away from him. Sometimes it got so bad that she seemed to disappear for hours just to escape him.   
  
The next day, a very worried Ron headed over to the Slytherin table, despite a few hisses and glares and asked Harry and Draco if they had seen his little sister. The both of them didn't know.   
  
Then, around noon, they finally found her sitting uncomfortably in the library.  
  
''Ginny!'' Ron cried out and ran over to her, ''God, I was worried to death. Where were you all last night?''  
  
Ginny fidgeted, not looking at Ron, ''Uh, I was just ... I was around... I wasn't really up for company so I just kind of wandered around the halls.''  
  
Ron frowned with worry, ''Ginny, with the attack, it's not safe to be out.''  
  
''It was just Filch's cat...'' Ginny replied weakly.  
  
''No it wasn't.'' Harry suddenly said with a grave voice.  
  
The four of them looked up at Harry.   
  
''I went to go see my brother this morning, Colin Creevy was in there. Even though Jerry usually doesn't tell me anything, he told me that the house elf had sent the bludger after him and then later Colin was taken in. I think he's scared that someone might be trying to kill him, earlier he sent an owl to dad saying that he might want to be home schooled for the rest of the year.''  
  
''Is the house elf dangerous?'' Ron asked.  
  
Hermione frowned, ''Nonsense, they just do whatever they're told... They don't...''  
  
''But trying to kill someone, no matter if it's an order from a master is still murder Granger. I think the next time someone should catch that house elf and put it down.''   
  
''Do you think it 'did' all this?'' Ron asked.  
  
Draco sneered, ''House elves can't speak Parseltongue.''  
  
''But that doesn't mean we can't consider it's involvement in this.'' Harry said solemnly.  
  



	15. chapter 15

''You know who we can ask?'' Harry said, suddenly realizing something as he went through the Hogwarts records.   
  
Draco quirked a brow, not looking up, but indicating that he was listening.   
  
''Hagrid, remember? Dumbledore mentioned him.''  
  
''I though you said the oaf didn't do it?''  
  
''I don't, but he was there, he might remember certain things, weird things that happened that we have taken notice to so far.''  
  
Draco shrugged, ''Fine, I could use some air.''  
  
''I di'n't do it then or now.'' Hagrid said firmly, before Harry could explain the entire situation.  
  
''We're not saying that you did. We just want to know if you noticed anything weird or even suspected someone back then.''   
  
''Oh...well... them sp'ders, they were runnin' ou' of the castle like mad.'' Hagrid said as he scratched his beard  
  
''Why did they throw you out Hagrid? I mean, they had to have had something to blame you on.''  
  
Hagrid looked uncomfortable, and then muttered after a while, ''Well, I was keepin' a pet of sorts... 'e was completely 'armless I tell ya.''  
  
Draco cut in, ''What was it? A snake?''  
  
''A snake?! No... no, it was a spider. Very large one...I let him go once Tom came bargin' in that day.'' Hagrid said, looking sadder by the moment.   
  
Suddenly Draco recognized the name, ''Tom? As in the Head boy?''  
  
''Yea' dats 'im all right. If you ask me, Tom was a bit too shifty for my likin'...''  
  
Harry caught on, ''Sometimes when you remember things that happened in the past, you realize things now that you didn't think of back then... Do you think Tom acted a bit... strange?''  
  
'' 'snot jest a bit. 'swas a lot. 'ed disappear for 'ours and no one could ever find him. Bit strange if you ask me, him being 'ead Boy an' all...''  
  
Draco and Harry turned to each other, ''Okay, so lets look into this Tom Riddle and see why he set up Hagrid and how he's doing it now.''  
  
Harry then looked back up at Hagrid, ''Thanks Hagrid, you've been a big help.''  
  
''Welcome... uhhh...''  
  
''Harry Potter.'' Harry called back as he headed towards the castle  
  
''You're welcome 'arry.''  
  
''Tom... Tom... Tom...'' Draco muttered as he looked through the school records.  
  
So far, they had only gotten that Tom came to Hogwarts sixty years ago and he was Head Boy.   
  
''Ah... gentlemen.'' Albus suddenly said out of nowhere causing Harry and Draco to jump. Albus waved a soothing hand, ''I apologize for startling you, but I do believe the both of you have missed dinner.''  
  
Harry quickly checked his watch, ''Oh, I guess we lost track of time...''  
  
At the thought of food, the two boys suddenly realized how hungry they both really were.  
  
Albus noticed the pile of books stack around the table, all turned to pages with the word Tom on it.   
  
Albus looked up at them, ''So, what are you searching for?''  
  
''Uh...'' Harry hesitated and looked back at Draco, but Draco just shrugged.   
  
Then Harry said, ''Tom Riddle.''  
  
Dumbledore's eyes flew up in surprise at this, ''And why pray ask are you looking for him?''  
  
A sinking worry feeling started to form in Albus's stomach, had the boys, at such a young age already been seduced so quickly?...  
  
''Hagrid mentioned that Tom reported him and that's why he got expelled. But it doesn't really make sense because everyone knows that spiders can't petrify people, only paralyze. So we think Tom might have... framed him? So now, we're trying to look for books on Tom, to find out why he did it.''  
  
The worry dissipated from Albus's stomach and he smiled congenially at the two boys, ''Why we discuss this in my office. Over some dinner? I'll have house elves bring out some sandwiches''  
  
After Harry and Draco had gotten some food in their stomach (Harry had made sure the tray didn't pass through the headmaster's hands, pretending that he was so hungry that he had rushed to the tray just to get a hold of a sandwich), they felt much better than before and not as exhausted. The Headmaster had patiently waited for them to finish before saying anything.   
  
''Now Harry, Draco... What I tell you should be kept in the strictest of confidences.''  
  
The two Slytherins nodded.   
  
''The person you are looking for is a former student of ours. He was made head boy the same year as the Chamber of Secrets was opened for the first time. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle.''  
  
''Hagrid thinks he opened it.''  
  
''I wouldn't doubt that.'' Dumbledore replied.  
  
''So, who is this Tom, can you contact him or something? And ask him...?''  
  
''Unfortunately, I can't. I'm not sure he's alive.''  
  
''Then how is he doing this?''  
  
''Tom was a very powerful wizard Harry. Perhaps he left something behind...?''  
  
Harry nodded and kept note of that.   
  
Then, as they were going to continue talking, the grandfather clock in Dumbledore's office rang 11 o' clock.   
  
''You boys better get back to your dorms.''  
  
The two of them nodded and started out of the Headmaster's office.  
  
Even looking back, Albus still wasn't sure why he said this, but in his heart the felt that the boys were already so close and letting them go without the most vital information may cause a lot of harm.  
  
''And by the way, be careful. The both of you... Tom's future alias was Lord Voldemort.''  
  
''But people are still in danger!'' Harry shouted as he ran after Draco   
  
Upon hearing that trying to stop the basilisk was against the Dark Lord's orders, Draco had vehemently insisted that they stop their research.   
  
''It only goes after Mudbloods! God knows they deserve it! Damn Granger too!''  
  
''You can't mean-''  
  
''I mean every word of it.'' Draco replied with a deadly serious expression on his face. Then he narrowed his eyes, ''Sometimes I wonder if you belong in our house, I mean, with you making friends with that mudblood and her mudblood loving weasel.''  
  
Harry froze, gaping at Draco. A part of him felt like he had been punched in the gut at those words. Another part was shaking with dread. What if Draco turned the house against him? He could do it... The rest of the house still trusted him more than Harry, despite the fact that Harry had gotten at little closer.  
  
Draco smirked, ''If you know what's good for you, you'd stop your research. This is meant to happen, Potter. This is only the first step of ridding ourselves of the mudbloods and muggles. WE are the superior ones.''  
  
Harry must have been stupid or something, he blamed his comment on his father's genes, ''And you think this basilisk can tell the difference between a muggle born and pure-blood?''  
  
''The Dark Lord's powers are great. I'm sure he took precautions.''  
  
''I can't believe how blind you are. You're practically willing to jump off a bridge for him!'' Harry replied sharply in a barely controlled whisper.  
  
Draco's eyes narrowed, ''If it further helps his campaign. I would be honored... Well, at least now we know who not to recruit.''  
  
With that Draco turned around and headed back to the dorm room.   
  
For the rest of the night, Harry sat in the common room staring blankly at the fire.   
  
And at the prompting of the dark thoughts, the creature in his mind awoke once more after a brief period of dormancy.   
  
At first nothing terrible happened, Draco would shoot him dirty looks whenever they came across each other. Then it started. One by one, the Slytherins started to look at him funny. Harry never figured out what Draco had told them, but he was pretty sure that it was a pretty powerful rumor.   
  
Eventually, Harry's life became a living hell. Now, Harry found himself always pulling the curtains around his bed closed and casting as many shielding charms as he could think of. But sometimes they weren't even enough and if the house was insistent on making him miserable that night, they would break through the charms and Harry would either find himself outside in the snow the next morning, soaking wet on the shower floor, covered in itching power, or other pranks that intended to rob him of any rest.   
  
He found himself staying awake a lot of times in the common room, too scared to sleep, and too exhausted to move.   
  
He was sure he was going to pass out one of these days.   
  
A few times, he had stolen Pepper Up potion from Madam Pomfrey's storage, although he didn't mean to. But he really needed it.   
  
Not only was he scared of sleeping, he was scared of eating. Last time, he had to be sent to the hospital for an overdone tongue engorgement charm put into his pumpkin juice. So now he made sure to sit at the end of Slytherin table, away from most of the house when he took his meals.   
  
Harry pushed his food around. It was like he was half-living. He was doing badly in all of his classes because he couldn't concentrate. He had over-boiled a potion last week and he felt horrible as he saw the disappointment in his tutor's eyes. Snape had gone on a huge tirade about how worthless he was. McGonagall had lectured him after class yesterday for failing his Transfiguration exam.   
  
Harry had sort of hoped someone would notice his failing condition. But with the winter hols coming up and the basilisk incidents, everyone was too wrapped up in plans of presents, going home to play, and fearing being petrified to take any notice to anything else. Moreover, the teachers had created a dueling club that would be starting today, which was why his own Head of House was hardly ever around.   
  
Harry allowed for his fork to flop over and sink into the mashed potatoes. He really couldn't eat... He just... wanted to get some peaceful sleep.  
  
For once Harry couldn't wait to go home.   
  
Harry really didn't feel like participating, but he still did. He was paired off with another second year Hufflepuff, much to his relief.   
  
The other boy was only throwing mediocre hexes like the Jelly Legs Jinx and the same pimple inducing hex Hermione had thrown at Draco on the train.   
  
And although Harry usually didn't have any problems creating shields, he could practically feel himself drain as he cast a very simple shielding spell. As it neared the end of the first student practicing round, Harry didn't send up a shield in time and the Hufflepuff boy had sent a Hurling Hex.   
  
But as the hex neared, it suddenly collided with something invisible and bounced right off.   
  
Harry made a face and muttered tiredly, ''What on earth?''  
  
Harry squinted his eyes and stared at the space in front of him, trying to make out what had just happened...but Lockhart was already calling the students to the stage so that he could do a demonstration with Snape.   
  
Harry shook his head, forgetting about the little incident, he figured he was too tired and probably hallucinating, and headed over. He eventually found himself standing in the front of the middle of the stage.   
  
The professors dueled, and naturally, Lockhart landed on his arse with a single blow. The corner of Harry's mouth twitched as he watched the pretentious professor struggle to get up and retrieve his wand.   
  
Lockhart said a few words that Harry wasn't much paying attention to and then he called up Hermione and Neville to go do a dueling demonstration. Snape made a comment about how Neville would be sending Hermione to the hospital in a matchbox, so he dismissed Neville and called Draco up to go duel her.   
  
Harry winced, thinking that Draco would kill Hermione. But it looked like Draco was guardedly watching Hermione's fist.  
  
Snape started to count and of course Draco cheated and sent a hex on 2, but Hermione was ready and murmured 'Protego' and countered with a 'Silencio'.   
  
Draco's hand quickly flew to his throat in horror, unable to say any of his hexes.   
  
Professor Snape took a step forward and waved his wand at Draco with a somewhat unpleasant expression on his face, ''Finite Incantatum. Now continue.''  
  
Draco gritted his teeth in anger at Hermione for humiliating him in front of so many students. He quickly darted his wand out and shouted, ''Serpensortia!''   
  
A long, frightening looking snake appeared from the head of Draco's wand and flew out towards Hermione and started to move towards her. Lockhart quickly walked in front of her and said in an overconfident voice, ''Its all right children. No need to be afraid. I'll take care of this.''  
  
Lockhart muttered a nonsensical spell, causing the snake to fly out into the air and land back down in the middle of the stage. It was more confused than ever and now spitting mad. It was also facing Harry.   
  
Harry could just make out Hermione calling, ''Oh my god! Harry!''  
  
The snake was hissing unhappily... and then it seemed to make sense... it was saying, ''Where am I?... Some fool just sent me into the air and now I'm bruised!... I ought to bite him!''  
  
The snake was now facing Harry, ''Are you the one who did this to me?!''  
  
Harry unknowingly spoke to it, ''No.''  
  
''Then who did?''  
  
''The boy and man that you're sitting in between.''  
  
''Good, now I shall bite the man,'' The snake said, rearing his head back, getting ready to turn and bite Lockhart.   
  
Although Harry really wouldn't have minded, he still called out, ''Wait. Stop!''  
  
The snake stopped and lingered, ''Why?''  
  
But before Harry could answer, Snape had already called out an erasure spell and got rid of the snake. Almost as if breaking out of his trance, Harry looked up at Snape, who was staring at him with a mixture of wonder and horror.  
  
''What?'' Harry asked as he took a step back and then noticed the rest of the students were also staring at him.   
  
Later, when Harry finally made it back to his dorm, he crawled into bed, hoping to get some sleep before someone came in and...  
  
''Well well well...'' Harry heard Draco say right outside of his curtains. Harry winced and buried himself in his blankets. He had forgotten to put up protection charms.   
  
Draco flung open the curtains and stalked over to Harry, ''Now what was that Potter? Never tell me that you were a Parseltongue? I wonder...what else you've lied about.''  
  
''Go away Draco.'' Harry murmured into his pillow, 'Please just let me sleep...'  
  
''I don't think so, Potty. What are you hiding?'' Draco growled as he stalked over and grabbed a hold of Harry's arm, trying to haul him off of the bed.   
  
''No!'' Harry screamed and tried to shove at Draco, but he was too weak and managed to painfully fall onto the ground.   
  
''Get up Potter!'' Draco yelled as he dragged Harry's arm upwards.   
  
But Harry was limp and unmoving. Draco quickly took a step back, thinking he had injured the dark haired boy, ''Potter?''  
  
Draco crouched down to check on Harry, ''Potter, this isn't funny. Get up.''  
  
When suddenly Harry's arm shot out and tightened around Draco's throat. Harry suddenly seemed to have more energy than he had had all month and he easily stood up. Draco looked up and nearly screamed. Harry was staring at him with a malicious grin on his face and completely white eyes.   
  
Draco then could feel himself choke on this grip as Harry lifted him off of his feet and let him dangle in the air. Draco's hand quickly flew up to his neck and tried to pry himself from the iron grip, but to no avail.   
  
Harry's grin suddenly disappeared and turned into a snarl. He then opened his mouth and spoke in a distorted inhuman voice, ''I would appreciate it if you didn't cause any further harm to my host. You're lucky that he's too weak right now to cast any of your silly little Wizard spells. Or else I'd cast one of your pathetic silencing spells on the room, rip your heart from your chest, and devour it while it's still steaming in my hands.''  
  
Draco wanted to cry and flee. He made some more choking sounds as his legs dangled helplessly.   
  
Harry grinned again, ''You know, I could just snap your neck right here. Would you like that? It would certainly hurt less than if I were to tear you heart out. Mind you, once I grow strong enough to take over this body while he's at full mental and physical capacity, I can torture you in much worse ways. Not that I don't have you to thank for my sudden boost in power. I mean the stupid little moron is practically wallowing in sorrow. Absolutely delicious.''  
  
''Harry...'' Draco choked out, ''Please wake .. up... Let... me ... go...''  
  
''No.'' The creature in Harry said, then a sort of ghostly figure floated above Harry's body until it was floating right in front of Draco's face. It looked like a human skull without eyes, and its face was elongated, with teeth that looked like they belonged to an angler fish.  
  
Draco let out a pathetic sob as he trembled.   
  
''Now listen closely little boy, you will call off your little wenches. If I find you causing any further harm to my host, I will not hesitate to kill you in your sleep. He may be against it (the ghostly monstrous creature looked back at Harry's possessed figure), but there's nothing he can do to stop me.'' It finished with a wicked laugh and then slowly floated back into Harry's body.   
  
Harry then lifelessly collapsed to the ground, letting go of Draco at the same time. Draco quickly backed up until his knees hit the edge of his bed.   
  
After a moment, he realized that he should probably take Harry to the hospital wing. But Harry was stirring already.   
  
''No...'' Harry whimpered as he backed away from Draco, ''Can't you just leave me alone?''  
  
''I'm sorry!'' Draco quickly gasped from where he sat.   
  
Harry looked up, ''What?''  
  
''I said I'm sorry, I'll tell the others to back off.'' Draco replied quickly.   
  
Harry made a face, ''Wha... I don't get what's going on...''  
  
''It's nothing!'' Draco said quickly, realizing that Harry wasn't even aware of what had just transpired only a moment ago.   
  
'...but there's nothing he can do to stop me.' The creature's words echoed in Draco's mind.   
  
Draco shivered, ''Look, I'm really sorry about what happened last month. I wasn't right in the head or something. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.''  
  
Harry made a face and then blearily climbed back onto his bed, ''You'll tell them...to back off?''  
  
''Yeah. They won't bother you anymore. I didn't realize what I doing. I wasn't thinking, just...'' Draco wanted to say 'Don't hurt me.', but he quickly caught himself and finished, ''...get some sleep.''  
  
Harry nodded tiredly, not bothering to think that Draco's sudden behavior change was weird.   
  
That night, for once the roles seemed to be switched around. Harry slept peacefully, while Draco lay awake staring fearfully at Harry all night long.   
  
A/N: (rantings, not really important) sorry about my slower updates, but I've just gotten this huge #$&# C assignment to program, problem is, I have to learn C on the fly...so, yeah... I 'should' have an easier time over the summer..As long as my mom doesn't call me up and suggest to add more summer school classes. Geez, at this rate, I'll be able to graduate in 3 years... that is if I'm suicidal enough to take two compiler classes at once... ick. 


	16. chapter 16

A/N: I decided to just finish up Year Two in one go, so be warned that these chapters are really rough. I will be out of commision until around June due to Finals, which is why I'm suddenly posting up everything I have at the moment. I hope you enjoy the rest of year Two, I'll try to get started on Year Three as soon as I can.   
  
Harry gave Draco another glare as the blonde put another roll on his plate without Harry asking him to. Draco figured the stronger Harry got, the more he could suppress... whatever it was that was... possessing him.  
  
''What's wrong with you?'' Harry hissed as he stared at Draco with suspicious eyes. The way Draco had been acting all week, the mother-hening, the way he viciously told off the other Slytherins when they came close to Harry, and just earlier he had told Professor McGonagall that it was his fault Harry had messed up the test.   
  
Although she didn't do anything about it, it was enough for her to also stare for a few moments at Malfoy before muttering something about the staff's broken coffee machine and walking away from them.   
  
''Nothing'' Draco said quickly shoving food his in his mouth to avoid a further response. Draco made a face, he hated peas. Why did he even shovel peas into his mouth?   
  
'Because you don't want to be killed in your sleep.' He mentally scolded himself. He made a wincing effort and swallowed the peas down and then picked up his own roll to eat it. Not bothering to take a breath in between.   
  
Harry continued to stare, ''Do I need to take you the Hospital wing?''  
  
''No, I'm fine!'' Draco replied quickly. Nodding frantically like a bobble head doll.  
  
A few of the Slytherins looked up and stared. They had been trying to ignore Draco for most of the week, but it was difficult with him acting in such a bizarre way.   
  
Harry's face squinted, ''Are you... sure? I mean... Not that I'm thankful that the whole 'Harry harassing' is over (Harry made sure to glance over at the Slytherins that were still staring. Millicent was the only one to at least look a bit guilty). But... you're being... really, really strange. Like... more than usual.''  
  
''I'm fine!'' Draco repeated, yelling at Harry's face. Draco's expression turned to that of horror and then he quickly muttered a 'sorry' before trying to eat again, despite the fact that he was already full.   
  
Draco wasn't sure whether he was going to be sick from the food or from knowing that he had yelled at Harry. Was that monster in him watching? Maybe he should sleep in the common room tonight, yes, if he screamed in there, maybe someone could hear better...  
  
That night, Harry found Draco sitting in front of the fireplace writing in a black leather bound journal.   
  
''Nice journal.'' Harry commented.  
  
Draco quickly looked up and snapped his journal shut, trying to hide it behind him.   
  
Harry raised a brow and then rolled his eyes and snorted, ''Like I want to see what you write in that thing.''  
  
''You understand the definition of privacy Potter?'' Draco snapped.  
  
Harry looked around, ''This is a public area. If you wanted to be alone, you should have been in bed.''  
  
Draco bristled, but he took a few deep breaths and calmed down, ''Fine, so what are you doing up?''  
  
Harry looked into the fire, ''Nothing, just couldn't sleep.''  
  
Draco quickly stood up, ''Well, I'm feeling tired now, so I think I'll go back.''  
  
Harry watched as the blonde rushed up the staircase as he tried to figure out what just happened.  
  
The next day, Harry found Ron sitting with Ginny.   
  
''It's okay...''  
  
''No! I can't find it!''  
  
''But you said that... It was just a stupid....''  
  
Ginny gave Ron a cold glare and stomped off in the other direction.  
  
Harry walked over to Ron, ''Something happen?''  
  
Ron looked up and shook his head, ''You know, girls are just bloody confusing most of the time.''  
  
Ron sighed, ''It's nothing really, besides, if we tried to look for what it, it'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.''  
  
Save for finding Justin being petrified and the school sinking into further paranoia, Harry thought things were a bit more normal than before. Draco was still odd, but better than a few days before when he was trying to force feed Harry anything that was on the table.   
  
The problem now was that Draco was being overly saccharine with his disgusting flattering words and eagerness to share anything with Harry.   
  
''Maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey.'' Harry abruptly said, cutting of Draco in the middle of his brown nosing, ''You don't.... seem well...''  
  
''I'm fine.'' Draco said airily.   
  
Harry's hand suddenly shot out and Draco could barely keep himself from screaming. But instead of squeezing around his throat, the hand landed on Draco's arm. Then Harry leveled Draco a serious look, ''I don't know what's pissing me off more: the way you treated me before of the way you're treating me now. Is it too much to just ask you to just STOP? It's bloody annoying!''  
  
''uh...,'' Draco blinked a few times as he thought about it, 'What if I'm making the situation worse?'  
  
Draco gulped and nodded, ''Okay, I'll stop.''  
  
Expecting a less compromising answer, Harry froze and shot Draco a strange look. He seemed to have an internal battle for a moment before he finally shrugged and went back to studying.   
  
Draco stared blankly at the textbook open in front of him and took a deep breath, 'I can do this...'  
  
Christmas this year seemed as boring as the years before, but Harry took a lot of time this year's hols, catching up on his sleep. He had never imagined how precious it was until it was completely taken away from him.   
  
For the first few days, Lily thought that Harry was sick and she would come in and sort of check on him, placing her cool hands on his brow.   
  
Harry gave her a small smile, ''Just tired, the stuff that's happening at Hogwarts...Uh, sometimes I sort of can't stop thinking about it and I don't really get much sleep. I guess I just feel safer at home.''   
  
It was the half truth, the basilisk running around was disturbing... but Harry didn't think that it would be wise to tell her about Draco and the rest of the house harassing him. Mum always told Dad everything and Harry shivered at the thought of his father storming over to the Malfoy Manor and demanding some sort of retribution. It wasn't that his father care that much about him, it was just that he had an over-inflammatory personality and probably would take the news as an insult from Malfoy or something.   
  
Best leave it alone...  
  
Harry snapped out of his mental dialogue and looked up at his mother, who was wearing a concerned and disquieting expression. She chewed on her lower lip, ''Jerry told us all about it.''  
  
She gave a small gulp, ''I... I don't feel safe sending you boys back to school. Perhaps when this all passes...''  
  
Harry's mouth was open, gaping at her, ''It's not that bad. I mean...''  
  
''Jerry said that two kids have already been petrified, he's been injured badly and had to 'regrow' his bones... need I go on?''   
  
'Well, actually, the need for a bone regrowing was Lockhart's fault.' Harry thought. But of course Jerry would leave that part out...   
  
Harry shrugged, ''Well, I don't think it's that bad...I'm not that scared, mum. I mean, if Jerry wants to stay home, I'm perfectly okay with it.''   
  
'Actually that's even better' Harry thought.   
  
''But I would like to go back to school. I like Hogwarts. Mum... you're just overreacting...,'' Harry said calmly, trying to placate her.   
  
Lily's expression soured, ''Are you criticizing me for caring about you?''  
  
Harry looked stunned, ''N-no...''  
  
Lily's eyes narrowed and then she looked downcast, ''Yes you are...I didn't realize it until you came back from school this summer...I didn't even realize it until you weren't there anymore and then when you came back during the summer, it was like seeing the big picture.''  
  
Harry stared at his mother and gave a nervous laugh, ''Realize what?''  
  
Lily looked up slightly, but her eyes were distant... disquieting.  
  
''You don't see me... as your mother. I'm just someone that's here that takes care of you. I'm a just a guardian. Nothing more...You're only one step away from just calling me Lily instead of mother.'' Lily whispered, ''Has it always been like this?''  
  
Harry looked away, he wasn't sure how to tell her, she looked so vulnerable and downtrodden at the moment that he couldn't. Listing all those things she had unconsciously done to him and how detached he felt from everyone...No, he still cared for her in his own way. Telling her anything in a cruelly blunt fashion would only hurt her more.   
  
''Harry...'' Lily urged desperately.   
  
''It's complicated.'' Harry replied in a childish whisper.   
  
Lily bowed her head down, knowing that he wouldn't answer anymore than that. Because he didn't know either...what the situation was... where they stood.   
  
''Is it too late?'' Lily asked Harry's slouched figure. His hair had grown longer and shaggy over the school year and now the fringe created a shadow over his face.   
  
Harry gave a helpless shrugged and then murmured, ''You... you weren't supposed to... care. And I was just going to... I was just going to grow up and... I don't know. Move into my own house. And that would be that.''  
  
Harry swallowed and gave a deep sigh, ''You're perfectly content with only Jerry...''  
  
''But I have 'two' sons.'' Lily emphasized.   
  
Harry shook his head, confused, ''Nobody is perfect, no one can ever 'not' show favoritism towards one child over the other... It's not a big deal. I'm used to it.''  
  
''But you disregard any sort of love I try to...''  
  
Harry suddenly looked up with intense eyes, looking frightened, as if something horrible was crawling under his skin and he was helpless to get rid of it, ''Why are you doing this? Is it the holidays? You feel obligated to... atone for all those years ? I don't understand why you're doing this! People don't just suddenly change! Sure you'll be nice to me for the holidays, and then you'll feel better about your self. And then you'll just forget a week after we go to school...''  
  
Harry then looked away again, but this time with a pondering expression on his face while he murmured again, ''People don't just change...''   
  
'So why did Malfoy?... Something happened. Something big...did someone threaten him... no, who would? Hermione's been too busy with midterms and Ron with Ginny a lot. I don't see how they...'  
  
''Honey?'' Lily asked as she put a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry considered flinching away, but...it didn't seem right and his mother was in such a fragile state... Maybe he'd just appease her for now.   
  
''Yeah?''  
  
''Can we at least try?''  
  
Harry inwardly gave a defeated sigh, what could he say? 'No, I we can't, this can't possibly work because you don't even know me... You know your friends at the Wizarding Ladies Club better than me... ?'  
  
Harry shrugged powerlessly, ''Sure...''   
  
A/N: Umm, thank you to everyone who commented. Unfortunately I can't answer a lot of questions, sometimes even I'm not privy to what's going to happen next in the story, it just kind of flows out or I dream it up in the middle of the night and go into a writing frenzy... it's all a bit if a spur of the moment kind of thing. I apologize for my slow updates, RL problems ... school, bleh. It's week 9 and finals are coming soon, I'll probably be out of commission until around June 11th.  
  
Oh, and as for the Yu Gi Oh... umm, the most I know about that anime is that my brother likes it, but that's it. Sorry, I guess the idea was just a coincidence.  
  
Random off tangent note: I was just kind of hopping around fandom and I came across this story I really liked and I thought it was brilliant. But later on I found some people critisizing it rather harshly. And I guess, I'm somewhat sensitive to criticism, even if it isn't towards me, but I guess it kind of made me sick in the stomach in a scared sort of way. I mean, not everyone has all the free time in the world to write and refine their stories to near perfection and a lot of us aren't writing majors or anything. In fact my grammar can be quite horrible, I'm constantly reminded by my friend that my grammar can use a lot of work. I really apologize for all the grammar and spelling problems. I mean, I tend to get into writing moods where I can type up page after page, but a lot of times, I managed to drop words and type things incorrectly because my brain is getting ahead of my hands. 


	17. chapter 17

Admittedly, there were moments were his 'trying' did make things better, but most of the time, it just really uncomfortable and awkward.   
  
His mother tried to take him shopping with her, and he did manage to hint at –okay, actually he practically pointed at- what he wanted for Christmas. You'd think that after twelve years she'd know that he wanted books. He certainly wouldn't have minded a gift certificate to the book store.   
  
They had gone to get Dad and Jerry's present. Well, since neither he nor Jerry got allowances, Harry just kind of stood off to the side and made comments on his mother's choices. So, but the end of the day, he was nearly bored to tears.   
  
'But she means well...' a part of himself scolded.   
  
The only two highlights of their time together was at the bookshop and the small café they went to, to take a break in and to warm up from walking around in the snow. The café was called the 'Dancing Bean' and there was picture of a hyperactive coffee bean doing the 'Jitterbug' next to the sign.   
  
Harry had gotten himself hot chocolate since he never really acquired a taste for coffee, unlike his mother who could down cups of if before actually feeling some of it come into affect. She easily drank the scalding bitter liquid without even blowing on it and Harry watch in an almost horrified fascination. He wondered why she drank her coffee like that.  
  
Lily gave a satisfied hum after her initial gulp, ''That was fun wasn't it?''  
  
Harry nodded stiffly, trying to plaster a smile on his face. Of course, he was really bad at pretending to be happy...   
  
Lily noticed and sounded a bit depressed, ''At least tell you enjoyed some part of it...''  
  
''I liked the bookstore...'' Harry replied uneasily.  
  
Lily took another sip and nodded neutrally, ''Oh... oh yes, you're always reading.''  
  
Harry resisted the urge to reply sarcastically. So instead he gave a noncommittal shrug and muttered, ''Yeah, sort of...''  
  
''I'm surprised you didn't get sorted into Ravenclaw.'' His mother mused.  
  
Harry mentally winced and hoped this conversation wouldn't go the wrong way. ''Well, it's not like I could tell the Sorting Hat...''  
  
''I guess... I just...well, it was unexpected. You certainly don't seem... you know.'' Lily tried to say, but even she knew that her half-ended statement sounded bad. Lily cringed.  
  
''They aren't... like that.'' Harry lied, ''They're just...''  
  
He stopped for a moment, trying to think of the right word, 'Cunning, sneaky, dangerous, malicious, sadists...'  
  
''Different.'' Harry finally said, hoping she'd buy it.   
  
Luckily she did –just barely- and then sort of drifted off to the next subject. ''Are you positive you want to go back to Hogwarts, the whole incident is making me uneasy. I really would rather you...''  
  
''I didn't do so well, I mean I haven't been doing so well and I was hoping that I'd find a way to raise my grades. I've been studying really hard and I don't really want it all to go to waste.'' Harry quickly responded.   
  
''Oh...is everything alright?''  
  
''Yeah,'' Harry quickly tried to think of another lie. This was getting harder and harder. ''Just stuff I didn't really understand at first, but now I'm finally getting it, so I think I have a chance of raising my grade.''  
  
''Oh... alright.'' Lily replied, a bit lost, but then she never got involved with Harry's schoolwork, so she wasn't really sure how to handle the situation.   
  
The both of them fell into silence and it remained that way for the rest of the trip.   
  
''Surprise!'' Two loud voiced called from the doorway as Harry opened the door.   
  
Harry's face brightened, ''Uncle Sirius! Uncle Remus!''  
  
Harry gave his two uncles a hug and then helped them with their coats. At this time, James had walked to the doorway and enthusiastically greeted the two Marauders.   
  
Next, Jerry and Lily also rushed over and exchanged greetings with the two men. But afterwards, Sirius tackled Jerry and the two of them began to horseplay around the living room.   
  
Remus, who was the more reserved Marauder, gave a genial smile at his friend's antics and went over to the dining room to take a seat with Harry, Lily and James.   
  
''I didn't even know you were coming!'' James started in a surprised and pleased tone, he really didn't mind sudden unplanned visits, especially from this friends.  
  
Remus shrugged, ''It was Padfoot's idea. You know how he is when he gets a scheme in his head.''  
  
James laughed, ''Ah, the times we had all based off of Padfoot's wild whims. Remember that time with Snivelly...''  
  
Harry quietly excused himself from the table. He hated when his dad talked torturing some poor kid named Snivelly –although he suspected that wasn't his name- back when he went to Hogwarts.  
  
The problem was that his dad's glory moments weren't that far off from Jerry's torture session. In fact, Harry suspected a lot of them were inspired by his dad's stories.   
  
Harry headed in the direction of the downstairs bathroom, but took a detour and decided to sit in the dark, on the steps leading upstairs.   
  
He allowed himself a little smile. He always liked it when Uncle Remus came over. Uncle Remus was a bit more like him. Harry remembered the time they took a trip to the park with Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius. Lily, James, Jerry, and Uncle Sirius had played a sort of ground version of Quidditch, which looked more like a mixture of the Muggle games: dodgeball and basketball.   
  
Uncle Remus had been kind and decided to stay with him on the picnic blanket. At first Uncle Remus was a bit nervous since Lily and James had told him not to bother Harry too much because of his 'problems'. Harry had been laying down at first, sleeping quietly on his stomach. But as the afternoon sun rose into the middle of the sky, the brightness woke him up.   
  
Uncle Remus had stared cautiously at Harry, hoping that he didn't do anything rash. But Harry just got up into a sitting position and looked up at Remus. Harry gave him a small childlike smile and pointed at him, ''You have special eyes.''  
  
Surprised by the strange comment, Remus jumped a bit and stared. Then he remembered the comment, ''O-oh, why do you say that?''  
  
''They're yellow. I don't see many people with yellow eyes.'' Harry replied shyly.   
  
Remus blinked, ''Um... right...''  
  
Upon hearing Remus' answer, Harry thought that he had said something wrong, so he shrank down, looking embarrassed and a little sad. Harry stared at the checkerboard blanket. He should have listened to Jerry and not bothered Uncle Remus, of course Jerry was right about Uncle Remus thinking he was a stupid little boy.   
  
Harry quietly moved away from Remus and scooted over to the basket, which was in the shade, and looked through it. After a few minutes, he found a green apple and gave a squeak of happiness as he took the apple and ran to the water fountain to wash it.   
  
When he came back, he caught Remus staring at the apple he was holding. Harry made a sort of disappointed face as he remembered his mother's words of being courteous to Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus during their visit. Harry walked over and held the apple out, ''Do you want it?''  
  
''Uh...Didn't Lily only pack one apple?''  
  
''It's okay, you can have it if you really want it.'' Harry said quietly.   
  
''But you had it first.''  
  
Harry shrugged, ''Mommy says I have to be polite.''  
  
''No no, it's okay, you can have your apple.''  
  
Harry frowned even more. Uncle Remus wanted the apple, so why wouldn't he take it? He was supposed to take it, that way Harry wouldn't get in trouble. What if Uncle Remus later told Mommy that he was rude and took the only apple.   
  
Harry quickly put the apple down on the blanket next to Remus, ''There.''  
  
Remus frantically shook his head, ''No no! I don't...''  
  
Remus sighed and picked up the apple to hand back to Harry, ''Take it.''  
  
Harry took a step back and shook his head while keeping his arms behind his back to show that he wouldn't accept it.  
  
Remus made a quiet frustrated sound and stood up to hand it Harry but Harry only took more steps back. Remus suddenly took a large step forward at Harry. Harry's eyes grew wide and he squeak right before he took off in a frantic run.   
  
''Wait!'' Remus shouted after the little boy who ran too fast and followed after him.   
  
Harry quickly ducked behind the tree and yelled back, ''No! It's yours!''  
  
''But you wanted it!''  
  
''You can't trick me into getting in trouble!'' Harry shouted back before darting off towards the next tree.   
  
Remus broke in to a run after the little boy while muttering, ''This is why I don't have kids.''  
  
''I'm not trying to get you in trouble Harry! The apple is yours!'' Remus called out as he continued to run, panting in between words.   
  
''You're lying! Just like Jerry!''   
  
''I'm not lying!''  
  
Remus chased after Harry for about ten more minutes.  
  
Then a voice called from the top of the hill, where Remus had left the picnic stuff, ''Hey Remus! What are you doing?''  
  
Remus sighed and treaded up the hill.  
  
When he finally got up there, he saw that the rest of the family had gotten back from their game. Jerry was currently digging through the basket for snacks.   
  
Remus held up the apple, ''Harry got out an apple and he was going to eat it. But I happened to be watching him and he thought I wanted the apple too. So he gave it to me. And told him that I didn't want the apple and that it was his.''  
  
Remus then let his hand drop down as Lily asked, ''So, where's Harry now?''  
  
''Hiding behind the fifth tree to the left, he won't let me give it back to hi- '' Remus suddenly stopped and looked down at his now empty hand.   
  
He looked up a bit and saw Jerry munching on the apple. Jerry grinned at him remorselessly and held up the partially eaten apple, '''sgood.''  
  
Lily lightly scolded Jerry, but Jerry only whined, ''But I'm hungry mum.'' And she stopped.   
  
Remus looked down at his empty hand and then back at Jerry, who was almost done eating the apple that he and Harry had fought over for nearly fifteen minutes.   
  
Later when the four went back down the fountain to feed the ducks, Harry reappeared.   
  
Remus was sitting on the blanket and looked up at the scrawny boy. He spoke, with a hint of bewilderment and annoyance, ''Jerry ate the apple.''  
  
''I know.'' Harry whispered.   
  
Remus looked up at Harry, ''Why didn't you just eat it?''  
  
''You...''  
  
''I was just watching you to make sure you were safe. I wasn't after your apple. And now Jerry has eaten it...'' Remus finished with a slight bit of scorn in his voice.   
  
Harry, having thought the tone was directed at him, gave a wavery whisper, ''I'm sorry.''  
  
Remus looked surprise, ''What? No! I... I wasn't mad at you. Your... your brother could sure learn some manners...''  
  
Harry shrugged.   
  
A moment passed and the two were silent.   
  
Then finally Remus asked, ''Does Jerry always eat all the apples?''  
  
''Just the ones I want to eat.'' Harry replied quietly.   
  
''I see...''  
  
''Hey'' Remus whispered in front of Harry, startling Harry from his distraction.   
  
Harry looked up and grinned. Then he looked back towards the direction of the kitchen, ''I thought you were...''  
  
''Nah. Sirius joined in the conversation...'' Remus made a face. ''I'm not so good at retelling the stories...''  
  
''I feel sorry for him.'' Harry murmured.  
  
''Who?''  
  
''Snivelly?'' Harry said, making a face at the name.   
  
''Ah, yeah...'' Remus paused, a flash of regret going across his face. ''I... they were –are- my friends. I just... I guess I just went along with it.''  
  
''What's his name?'' Harry asked.  
  
Remus stopped a second to think. If Snape was Harry's teacher... would telling Harry that they had tortured his head of house be such a good idea? But then Harry wasn't like most children.   
  
''You know him...'' Remus said slowly.   
  
Harry raised a brow and then thought about it, 'Who's dad's age and would be nicknames Snivelly...let's see, Snivelly... like... snivel? No, I don't know anyone that snivels... Sn... Oh.'  
  
Harry looked up at Remus, ''Snape.''  
  
''Wow. That was fast.'' Remus murmured.   
  
''What did you guys do to him?''  
  
Remus let out another deep sigh and sat down next to Harry, ''We... we publicly humiliated him. Did things like hang him upside down and strip his pants. And we'd pull numerous horrible pranks on him... And then, there was that prank that went too far...''  
  
''Shrieking Shack?''  
  
''Your dad told you?''  
  
''I was eavesdropping on Dad and Sirius once. It was after Jerry's birthday party.'' Harry replied in a dull voice. He hated that story the most. The week after hearing that story, he would wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares of Jerry luring him into a hole under the tree and there, a wolf how enormous yellow teeth would rip him to shreds. He had woken up screaming a few times, but Mum had thought it was because he was disturbed and thus he experiences a huge influx of Medi-witches and Medi-wizards for the next month. After that, he would somehow subconsciously force himself to scream into his pillow and thus muffle out the sound.   
  
He knew it was dangerous, to keep that up, many times he realized that he had completely stopped breathing. His lungs collapsed in fear and a slow ache in his stomach and head from oxygen deprivation.   
  
The dreams had finally faded away around four months later, but every time he even heard his dad hint at that incident, he would feel sick.   
  
Harry looked up, expecting Remus to have that same smug expression that Dad and Sirius when talking about it. But instead Remus looked pale and probably worse than how sick Harry felt at the moment.   
  
Remus climbed up a few steps and found himself sitting a step lower than Harry. The soft timbre in his voice was laced with shame, ''Did they say who the werewolf was?''  
  
Harry nodded and then murmured, ''I know it wasn't you. I mean, I know you... are what you are. But during that time, you weren't in control.''  
  
''I almost killed him Harry.'' Remus whispered. ''Why aren't you scared of me?''  
  
''Donno. If Uncle Sirius never told Snape about that hole... he wouldn't have went in and you wouldn't have almost eaten him...''  
  
''I still feel horrible about it.'' Remus whispered. ''In the end Slytherin had lost points and we didn't... not even a minor dent. No detention... nothing for that horrible thing we did. Merlin, I don't know what I would have done if I was in his place. He wasn't even allowed tell his family, Dumbledore placed him under a special charm. Kept him from telling what happened. He would try to, but right before the words would come out , he could completely blank out.''  
  
''Must have drove him insane.''  
  
Remus nodded. ''Yeah... He wasn't so horrible at first. Bookish, he really should have been in Ravenclaw. Didn't get along with the Slytherins at all. James always tells these horrible stories about him because they just didn't get along. Minor spats, random hexings... we actually did worse to him because it was him against the four of us...''  
  
Remus leaned to the right and rested his head against the railing of the stairs. ''He knew just how to irk James too; he'd say horrible things about your mum. I don't think he meant them, but he knew it would rile James up really badly. Anyways, after the Shrieking Shack incident, he... he started to really cozy with the Slytherins. And then got Lucius and his goons involved. It got really bad, the pranking and the hexing. Our houses nearly tore each other apart and in the end the Headmaster had to threaten us with expulsion in order to quiet us down.''  
  
''He was bitter, betrayed'' Harry murmured to himself.   
  
''Yes.''  
  
''Is that why he became a ...'' Harry trailed off. Bugger! He wasn't supposed to...  
  
Remus' eyes narrowed as he looked up, ''How'd you know?''  
  
''You know?!'' Harry asked, astonished. ''If you know he's a ... you know. Why don't any of you put him in Azkaban?''  
  
Remus shook his head, ''Wait... Uh, you're confusing me. What is 'you know.'?''  
  
Harry whispered sharply, ''Death Eater.''  
  
''Oh! How'd you...?''  
  
''I accidentally turned in the wrong direction once and I heard him talking to someone, another ... you know.''  
  
Remus debated the situation. Since Harry knew that he knew that Snape was a Death Eater, then it wouldn't make sense for Remus to tell him to be quiet and not talk about it because obviously it meant that Harry would be put into direct danger. But if he told Harry the truth, it would risk exposing...  
  
But Harry wasn't normal was he?  
  
Remus held out a finger and said sternly, ''Now what I'm about to tell you is extremely confidential, no one can know. You could be putting a lot of lives at stake if this gets out. What you hear from me here never reaches another soul. Do you understand?''  
  
Harry looked a bit scared, but his desire to know overruled his fears. He licked his lips and nodded.   
  
''Snape is a Death Eater, but he works for us. You know the...''  
  
''Order.'' Harry finished.   
  
Remus's eyes flew up, ''Where did you? Merlin! Do you eavesdrop on everyone?''  
  
''Dad doesn't do such a good just of... being discrete.''  
  
''Anyone ever tell you you're too inquisitive for your own good?''  
  
Harry shrugged, ''No, no one to tell what I know.''  
  
Remus sighed and nodded, ''Right. Does Jerry?''  
  
''No... Jerry doesn't. If it's not about Quidditch, he won't pay attention to it.''  
  
''Ah.. well...''  
  
''Go on... you said he works for the Order.''  
  
''Yes... He's a spy for us. It's a very dangerous job.'' Remus said in hushed tones.   
  
''Yeah.'' Harry breathed, but at the same time he was thinking about how much of a relief it was to find out that Snape wasn't trying to kill him. But what about that Quidditch incident...  
  
''But there was that time. Hermione said that Snape was trying to hex my broom during a Quidditch match...''  
  
''Oh. That was Quirrell. We got it out of him after...'' Remus suddenly stopped, ''Hey! I'm not supposed to be telling you this!''  
  
''I won't tell!''  
  
''This is confidential Order business.''  
  
Harry nodded frantically, ''I know. I promised I won't tell and I won't. Cross my heart, hope to die.''  
  
Remus cringed, ''Don't say things like that.''  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and then he looked intently at Remus, ''So, about Quirrell.''  
  
''No! I'm telling you anymore, my reputation is going to as bad as Hagrids if anyone finds out...''  
  
''But I'm old enough...'' Harry started, but stopped as Remus shot him a look.   
  
Harry wilted, ''Fine... I'm not old enough.''  
  
''Harry it's not that- '' Remus started.  
  
But he was suddenly interrupted by Sirius popping his head in front of the stairs, ''Hey you two, conspiring something? A prank maybe?''  
  
Remus shot Sirius a derisive look, ''Grow up Pad... we were just talking about...''  
  
''Girl stuff.'' Harry interrupted with a quick lie. ''Yeah... just talking about how confusing they are.''  
  
Sirius shot Harry a sly grin, ''Ah! A ladies man! Just like you dad! You know back in our Fourth year there was this bloody beautiful girl, BIG jugs, ...''  
  
Sirius was about to continue when Remus tossed his shoe at the shaggy Marauder, ''He's only twelve you pervert!'' 


	18. chapter 18

Well, it was to say that this Christmas was one of the best that Harry had ever experienced. He wasn't as alone as the thought. Even if it was only mum and Remus, but two was already more than he had ever had.   
  
Moreover, it seemed like someone was finally considering him, remembering what he wanted and liked. Because the things under the Christmas tree this year weren't just atrociously tasteless gifts or gifts that were unintentionally given away, they were gifts that actually suited him.  
  
He had gotten the books he picked out with his mum. And she also had gone back to the bookstore a second time and bought him a great bookmark that would magnify and/or read the highlighted lines out loud if his eyes got tired. A small spark of hope welled in him. Maybe this thing with his mum might actually work out after all.   
  
Remus's presents were wonderful, he had given Harry: an apple (upon which Jerry commented something rude) and two books. One of the books was on how to become an Animagus and the other was a potions text. Well, at least that's what everyone thought, but Remus subtly showed him that the front cover on the book was charmed to be a false cover and the book was actually: "Misconceptions about Werewolves."  
  
Harry gave Remus a sly grin as he held the book close to him.   
  
Sirius and James had gotten Harry some Quidditch gear, but then they had gotten the same thing for Jerry…  
  
Harry's grandparents, on his mother's side, had sent him a new knapsack fill with holiday nuts and candy. And his grandparents on his father's side had sent something that looked like a Muggle snow globe, but it was charmed so that the village inside the globe was moving. It was actually a bit like the moving paintings and photos, but more three dimensional.   
  
Later that night, James, Remus and Sirius had gone out for some Christmas drinking and Jerry was already upstairs sleeping. Harry had just come down for a glass of water when he saw his mother sitting in the dark, in front of the warm and slowly fading fire. Harry walked over so that he was standing behind the back of the sofa.   
  
Lily sleepily looked up and smiled, "Hey, you like your presents?"  
  
Harry gave a content grin and nodded. Lily held he arms open, "Come over here and give your mum a hug."  
  
Harry nodded and ran around to the other side to hug her. Lily gave a satisfied hum and then let him go, "So, what are you doing up so late?"  
  
"… was just gettin' a drink."   
  
Lily got up from the couch and trod over to the kitchen with him. And then came back to the kitchen table with two glasses of water.   
  
The two of them were silent for a while, just enjoying the quiet company of one another when Harry murmured, "Been thinking… if you said that you noticed that I wasn't so 'involved' this summer. How come you didn't do anything about it till now?"  
  
Harry then let out a huge yawn and sleepily smacked his lips.   
  
"Well," Lily started. "I guess, I wasn't thinking about doing anything about it. You were always independent and I knew you didn't really need me. I was considering on letting things go on the way they were. But I guess when I picked you up from the Hogwarts station and saw how tired and gloomy you were, I figured that you needed someone. Even if you do try to cover it up most of the time…I mean, it doesn't hurt to have your mum here to help you through your worst times, right?"  
  
Lily's hand stretched out and lightly ruffled Harry's hair.  
  
Harry gave a small grin and a tiny nod and walked over to put the cup into the sink. Then, as he turned around to head back to his room, Lily said, "Harry. Are we okay?"  
  
Harry turned to her and gave her a rare brilliant smile, "Yeah."  
  
The night before Harry went back to Hogwarts, he found Jerry sprawled out on the couch watching the muggle television his mother purchased.   
  
Harry looked at the empty spot next to where his trunk was, "Where's your stuff."  
  
Jerry shrugged, "I'm stayin' home."  
  
Harry blinked a few times, "What?"  
  
"Mom said she can home school me for the rest of the year and I just have to go to local wizarding testing place and do a short exam to pass my second year." Jerry said lazily.   
  
Harry stared. At first, he was considering on calling his brother an idiot for not going back to school, but then … if Jerry didn't go back, it mean there was one less person Harry had to worry about.  
  
Jerry glared, "You have a problem?"  
  
Harry quickly shook his head, "No, hope you have fun."  
  
Harry was about to leave when Jerry said, "You know you owe me."  
  
Harry froze, turned around, and said slowly, "Owe …you…"  
  
"For not telling mom and dad 'what' you can do" Jerry replied with a unkind smirk.   
  
"What?! I don't…"  
  
Then Jerry raised a brow and mouthed the word, 'parseltongue'.  
  
Harry felt a shiver down his spine and stared.   
  
Jerry shot Harry an amused look and returned to watching the program, "Just thought you'd like to know."  
  
"You look better Potter." Draco commented blandly as he joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione in one of the train compartments.   
  
Harry gave Draco a wary glance and his lips thinned to a line. He was about to retort in a nasty manner, but he reconsidered. He really didn't want to live through the worse half of last month, so he unwillingly nodded and scooted over.  
  
The trip seemed longer this time, and it probably was because of the snow slowing down the train. But it was also probably because none of them said a word. Hermione was busy studying up on work for the upcoming weeks. Ron was letting his mind wander off and suitably scaring himself to death. Harry guessed that he was thinking about the basilisk.   
  
And Draco was doing his usual staring out the window. Sometimes Harry wondered why Draco even bothered to sit with him on the train when the other Slytherins would have more then welcomed him and chatted him up for the rest of the ride.   
  
As Harry got off the train, he finally said something, "Jerry stayed at home, mum was considering on not letting me come back for the rest of the year. The whole petrified children thing is making her paranoid."  
  
Draco snorted in a derogatory manner, but he didn't say anything. Harry figured that Draco thought that since they were Slytherins, they weren't prone to being petrified.   
  
There were no signs of any more students being petrified for the rest of the winter.   
  
It seemed almost as if everything had quieted down.   
  
Harry told himself –well, hoped- that whatever monster that had appeared, had just as quickly disappeared. Maybe everything would be fine, the students that were petrified would be revived and everything would be back to normal again…  
  
Well, as normal as could be…  
  
Harry worked hard to not show it, but after the incident with Draco, his paranoia had increased ten-folds. When Draco asked to borrow things, Harry would hesitate and consider lying that he didn't have such an item, whereas, in the past, Harry wouldn't even have given it a second thought.   
  
As much as Harry disliked this uneasy tension when he was around Draco, he was somewhat… well, glad, because now he knew the reality of the situation. He knew Draco better… and he knew he couldn't count on Draco as much as he did before.   
  
Harry mentally scolded himself. What was he thinking? Or was he even thinking at all? The Malfoys had a bad reputation for a reason… But… But he had thought Draco wasn't as bad. He was hoping, willing to blindly ignore his instincts to give the blonde the benefit of the doubt. And now, seeing how wrong he had been, Harry wondered whether he should always second guess himself when it came to judging people.   
  
Harry clutched the Charms text closer to him as he glanced up at the Slytherins hanging about the common room from under the fringe of his bangs.   
  
Maybe he did have to.   
  
But to what extent?  
  
"I bribed one of the Ravenclaws for the questions on the Charms test later today." Draco casually mentioned at dinner.   
  
Harry nodded in an uninteresting way.  
  
"You want to…" Draco started.  
  
Harry shrugged, "Its okay. I've already studied up."  
  
"Yeah Potter. But the rest of the Slytherins will know the test questions and have an advantage over you. If you at least know the questions you'll be on level playing gr- "  
  
Harry slammed his fork down and snapped, "I'm fine Draco!"  
  
The Slytherin table looked up and stared at him. Harry gave them a weak shrugs and shook his head as he tried to reign in on his temper. Harry made a face as he lowered his voice and muttered jerkily, "Its okay, I don't really… need them…"  
  
Harry shook his head and quickly got up from his chair, "Uh… I … I'm not hungry anymore."  
  
Harry walked out of the Great Hall, but he never noticed the panicked look on Draco's face.  
  
Harry breathed heavily and unevenly as he leaned back against a pillar in the deserted hallway.   
  
What was that about?  
  
Harry swallowed to ease his dried throat and he scrounged up his face.   
  
Why did he just throw a tantrum in there? He usually had a lot of control over his emotions. He wasn't rash and temperamental like Jerry and his father.   
  
Harry closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
That couldn't have been him. He didn't do things like that. Okay, so he was related to his dad and Jerry, but he never made a scene like that. It was so odd. It felt like something was welling up and crawling under his skin and he just wanted to scream.   
  
Maybe he was losing it.  
  
(That night)  
  
"I'm sorry!"  
  
"Would you stop saying that?!" Harry yelled from behind the curtain of his bed. Draco had been at it for at least twenty minutes already. The blonde had burst into the room right before Harry drifted off to sleep and started to ramble about being sorry for whatever the hell made Harry mad.   
  
"Well I am!"  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry for!"  
  
"Then why did you yell at me?"  
  
"Why are you sounding like an annoying, stupid child? I yelled because I was having a bad day. End of story."  
  
"That can't have been it. I mean you were…"  
  
"I'm fine!"  
  
"Would you two shut up?!" Nott yelled from his bed, "We're trying to get some sleep here and we don't want to hear the two of you squabble like an old married couple."  
  
Crabbe and Goyle grunted in agreement.   
  
Blaise cut in, "Nott's right. You can save it for morning… errr, preferably outside in the common room."  
  
Draco looked like he was going to argue with them, but he finally gave up and went to go prepare for bed.   
  
However, later that night when Draco had finally fallen asleep, Harry had stayed awake trying to figure out why Draco was acting so strangely.  
  
'Right, I can't believe that I totally forgot about this. Okay, so Draco makes a one eighty after the dueling incident… where I spoke parseltongue. Okay, so it's probably that. The parseltongue scared him… because parseltongue is spoken by dark lords? No, that doesn't make sense, him and his stupid 'it would be my honor to jump off a bridge for Voldemort' rant proved that. Oh! But wait, Draco had acting like a complete prat to me before… Which means, he thinks that I'm a dark lord of some sort?..."  
  
And finally after that last thought, Harry was satisfied enough to fall asleep.  
  
The next morning, Harry slipped out before the rest of his house and Draco woke up and walked around the halls.   
  
Later that day, he pulled Ron aside and asked, "Okay, I really need to know. What do the kids think about me being a parseltongue?"  
  
Ron hesitated, "Well, they're just rumors."  
  
"Come on Ron, I need to know."  
  
Ron gave a defeated sigh as he looked around to make sure no one was listening, "Okay, there's some theories flying around. One is that you're like a potential dark lord."  
  
"And…"  
  
"And the other one is …"  
  
"Come on Ron. Just like you said, they're rumors right?"  
  
"They think that you've been possessed by You-Know-Who." Replied uneasily.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yeah. I mean, I thought that was a pretty dumb one… but quite a number of the kids believe that, actually." Ron then lean to whisper, "Well, I guess it's also because of the whole parseltongue and the Chamber of Secrets thing and all of the kids who keep getting petrified are all Muggle born kids. A big part of You-Know-Who's campaign was all about wiping out the Muggle born wizards."  
  
Harry squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to clear his mind, "I know I asked you guys to stop investigating the basilisk thing. But, now that I think of it, I think we need to continue."  
  
"Actually, we never really stopped… Hermione and I. We couldn't really figure out why you did though…" Ron trailed off.  
  
"Draco…" Harry muttered. "He… let's just say the time before winter break was pretty bad for me…"  
  
Ron scowled, "Look, I know he's sort of your friend. But he's a Malfoy and they can … well, actually, they are bad news. I just never said anything because he seemed to be the only guy nice to you in the whole house. But I mean, even though there is nothing on record, Malfoy is rumored to have been in You-Know-Who's inner circle."  
  
Harry nodded. "We stopped because we learned that Tom Riddle is Vol-… You-Know-Who."  
  
"Wait, you mean the head boy who framed Hagrid?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That makes sense." Ron muttered.  
  
"So, you and Hermione find out anything?"  
  
Ron looked up, "Yeah, after talking to Moaning Mrytle that one time. Hermione sort of brainstormed for a bit and she had theory about how the basilisk gets around."  
  
"How?"  
  
"The bathroom pipes."  
  
"But… they're so small. I mean… you know with the sinks and the …toilets… You can't possibly fit anything in there unless you charm or hex it."  
  
Ron shrugged, "She says that main sewer pipes are usually quite large."  
  
"Okay, so assuming that it's using sewer pipes to get around the school. It has to come out of the pipes somewhere right?   
  
"Right… Hermione thought of that too. Actually, today, after class she's going to go ask the Headmaster for an architectural map of the school."  
  
"I don't think she'll get it." Harry said quietly, "Hogwarts had a lot of protection spells around it and they're all based on the keystones under the school. He can't give her the map because it'd give away those locations."  
  
"Oh… we didn't think of that… "Ron said dejectedly. "Should I tell her…"  
  
"Not, let her try. Nothing to lose right? And if she does end up getting it, all the better."  
  
"Right, so we'll talk to you later?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Here." Draco said, suddenly thrusting a gaily wrapped rectangular object at Harry.  
  
Harry held the object dumbly and then looked up, "What's this?"  
  
Draco ran a nervous hand through his hair, "Well it's… you know…"  
  
Harry continued to hold the present right between him and Draco, "There's nothing to apologize for. I don't…"  
  
"Then." Draco replied quickly, "Think of it as a Christmas present."  
  
Harry looked up and straight at Draco, who then suddenly looked away and refused to meet his eyes. Finally Harry gave a deep sigh and started to tear open the wrapping paper.  
  
The present was a watch; a pocket watch with a sapphire dial set in silver.   
  
"But Dumbledore said on the first day…"  
  
"It's mechanical, winds up when you swing it or move. It doesn't use Muggle elek… uh.. el…" Draco tripped over the unfamiliar words.  
  
"Electricity." Harry finished for him.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." Draco said and then he reached over swiftly and pointed at the watch, "I put a lot of protection charms on it. So no one would… hurt you."  
  
Harry raised a brow, It seemed… hypocritical of Draco to do such a thing. But if Ron was right…  
  
Harry gave a slow nod, "Right… okay…"  
  
"I hope you like it." Draco gave a final confident reply.  
  
Harry hid his wariness and stiffly nodded with a fake smile. 


	19. chapter 19

(Later, after class)  
  
''She didn't get it.'' Ron sighed as he met Harry outside of the classroom.  
  
''So, now what?''  
  
''She's going through the charmed section to see if there's a charm to make an outline of the school's plan.''  
  
''But that's just the outline.'' Harry murmured. Then he thought of an idea. ''Why don't we draw it out? I know a water detection charm. We could have Hermione draw out the outline and then sketch out where the pipes are depending on the water charm.''  
  
''Good idea. Let's get to it then.''  
  
Harry figured it would have happened sooner, but Draco seemed out of it these days so he didn't confront Harry until a week later.   
  
''Potter! This is insane!''  
  
Harry looked up from the map, holding his blue ink filled quill slightly above the parchment, ''I do what I please. If I want to investigate this, I every right to... And I will, even if I have to endure your petulant whining.''  
  
Draco's face soured, ''The Dark...''  
  
''Well, I made this clear last year, I don't support him.'' Harry interrupted.   
  
''You're making a big mistake, he could...''  
  
''He could what?'' Harry asked as he put the map and quill beside him on the floor and stalked over to Draco.   
  
Then Harry stalked over to Draco, causing Draco to back up quickly into the cold stone wall on the opposite end. Harry leveled him with a look, and his face twisted with fake amusement, ''You know the other day Ron told me something pretty funny. He said that there's rumors flying around about ME being The Dark Lord. Is that what you think Draco?''  
  
Draco mutely glared back at him, ''You weren't the one that IT was trying to kill!''  
  
Harry tilted his head slightly, ''It? What are you talking about?''  
  
''That thing. You were all possessed and you tried to kill me. You said you'd eat my heart of snap my neck!'' Draco screamed back, getting more hysterical by the moment ''  
  
Harry snorted, ''Good one Draco. Impressive imagination, especially that heart eating part.''  
  
No longer interested in listening to Draco's inane stories, Harry turned around and picked up his things so and walked away.   
  
''Maybe while he was at home playing Quidditch, he was hit on the head with a bludger!'' Ron said. The red head had been speculating on Draco's mentality for the last hour or so as Harry 'tried' to study for his upcoming exam.   
  
Harry gave an inattentive shrug, he had zoned out about forty-five minutes ago.   
  
Hermione was also getting annoyed, she peered over the top of an enormous book and glared, ''Ron, if you don't stop talking this instant, I'm not allowing you to copy my Potions notes.''  
  
Ron gave a frightened semi-squeak, he had more or less fallen asleep in that class. But luckily Longbottom's explosion was enough of a distraction that Snape didn't notice him doze off.  
  
For a moment Harry envisioned Ron with special fake glasses charmed to look like he was awake. But then Harry snorted and shook his head, like Snape would ever fall for that.   
  
Hermione continued with her lecture as Ron looked more and more like he wanted to shrink into a bug.   
  
Harry wasn't getting any real studying done so he got up, ''I'm going back to my tower, I left a book that I need right now.''  
  
Ron and Hermione ceased their arguing, for the moment, and nodded understandably.   
  
After Harry left, Hermione also started to collect her things, ''Come on, let's finish this map, we're almost done.''  
  
Ron held up his book, ''Wait a second, we need to return our books. Our checkout time is almost up and I really don't want to be caught with screaming books.''  
  
''I can't do this anymore!'' A voice yelled just as Harry tried to enter his dorm room. Harry stopped right outside of the door, thinking it was probably a bad time.  
  
Then the voice continued, ''I just can't. Besides he doesn't know it's in him!''  
  
Harry soon identified the voice as Draco's.  
  
''Recruiting him would be a bad idea!'' Harry heard, following some loud scribbling, like Draco was pressing down very hard with his quill.   
  
''...I can't even ally with him! He hates me! Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to make him mad, I didn't know that thing was in him!... I mean he is a Potter, I thought you wanted to kill the Potters...''  
  
Then a deep sigh filled the room followed by a, ''Yes, yes, I've already sent it out. It should be done by the hour.''  
  
Draco suddenly stopped talking to himself.   
  
Harry figured it was a bad time and decided to go back for his book later.   
  
That evening Ron and Hermione were found petrified in the library.   
  
The loud clatter of feet could be heard echoing through the halls as Harry rushed towards the hospital wing after Professor McGonagall informed him what had happened. He and the other Slytherins were just about to leave the tower when the Deputy Headmistress informed them that classes were cancelled for the week. Harry had asked why and was told that his two friends were petrified. Then, before Professor McGonagall could stop him, he dashed out of the portrait and straight for the hospital.   
  
Where he found Ginny crying by Ron's side sobbing that it was her fault.   
  
Harry quietly walked over to the distressed girl and asked, ''Why do you think it's your fault?''  
  
Ginny replied in a watery distressed voice, ''I... I ...I lost it, it was...I should have said something...''  
  
Harry took a seat next Ginny, ''What did you lose?''  
  
It took a while for Ginny to stop crying, but after she sobered a bit, she replied softly, ''I... h-had this diary and... and, I could talk to it, I mean, write in it and it would respond. It was really neat and the person in the diary was so nice and would listen to me and everything...''  
  
''But?''  
  
''But then I started to sort of get blackouts. And I guess, the more I blacked out, the more aware I became and a lot of times, I...I just...''  
  
Harry nodded, indicating for her to go on.  
  
Ginny cried out in horror as her nails dug into her hands from clenching her fists too hard, ''I did such horrible things!''  
  
''What did you do Ginny?''  
  
''I can't... they'll lock me away in Azkaban if they found out!''  
  
She was getting more agitated, she horrified that she knew exactly what put her brother there, but too scared to reveal anything.  
  
''I promise I won't tell anyone Ginny. I need to know what happened so I can help Ron and Hermione. I have an idea of what's going on, but I need you to tell me more.''  
  
''I.... it was a snake.'' Ginny whispered, ''It a huge snake and I ... I could feel myself saying stuff that I didn't even know how or what it meant. And sometimes I'd wake up with blood all over my hands! And and...''  
  
Harry heard Madam Pomfrey's muffled voice coming closer and quickly reached out  
  
He hugged Ginny while quietly shushing here, ''Okay.. okay. I understand. Now Ginny, this diary, when did you lose it?''  
  
''Right before winter hols. I left it in the library and I went to go look for a book. When I came back, it was gone.''  
  
Harry nodded slowly, ''Okay, now, did you ever talk to the book?''  
  
''Not when I was in control. But I remember talking to Tom- ''   
  
Harry froze, ''Wait. Did you just say Tom?''  
  
''Yeah. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle.''  
  
Harry paled, ''I see, that's how he's doing it.''  
  
''Who? Tom?''  
  
''He's taking over... or making people do things for him through that book. Are you sure you don't know who took the diary?''  
  
''I asked around... Cho Chang thought she saw a Slytherin...with blonde hair?'' Ginny said weakly, but then she quickly corrected, ''But I might be w-wrong. I know he's your friend and...''  
  
Harry stopped her, ''No, its okay. Don't worry about it. Uh... why don't you stay here with Ron, he really needs you, I've... got to go.''  
  
Ginny gave a tentative nod and kept quiet as she watched Harry dash out the hospital doors.   
  
Moments later Madam Pomfrey walked in, giving her sympathetic looks as she checked over Ron. Ginny found her attention redirected and didn't even think twice of what she had just told Harry.  
  
''Have you seen Malfoy?'' Harry asked when he returned to the Slytherin tower.   
  
Nott made a face and replied lazily, ''He said he went to go look for you.''  
  
''I never saw him.'' Harry said quickly, trying to hide his panic.  
  
Nott shrugged nonchalantly, ''No clue then.''  
  
Harry's hands tapped impatiently inside of his robes while he thought for a while, ''Where could he have gone...?''  
  
Harry found himself staring blankly at the fire when a Slytherin Prefect rushed in, out of breath and full of worry. He gave a quick announcement to the Slytherins in the common room, counting on the Slytherins to spread the message to the rest of the house, ''All students. Stay in your towers. Another student has gone missing!''  
  
Harry paled, thinking that it could be Ginny, but then Madam Pomfrey was watching over the hospital wing when he left... which meant...   
  
Draco had gone missing.   
  
Harry had snuck out of the tower under his invisibility cloak, trying to think desperately where Draco could have gone, 'They're all dead ends. Tom Riddle, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Myrtle... wait... Myrtle.'  
  
They never really finished interrogating her.  
  
''Another boy! I recognize you too!'' Myrtle cried out as she saw Harry enter her bathroom.  
  
Harry froze, ''Another?''  
  
She nodded.   
  
''How did this boy look like?''  
  
''You've seen him before. Blonde hair.''  
  
Harry grimaced as he mentally cursed, ''Okay, did you see where he went?''  
  
Myrtle pointed over to the sinks.   
  
Harry stared and walked around the sinks, ''I don't see him. Myrtle! This is serious, if you're lying-''  
  
''I'm not lying stupid!'' Myrtle hissed at him, ''He's inside!''  
  
Harry stopped and turned around, ''Inside?''   
  
Then he quickly knelt down and started to feel around the sinks looking for a handle of some sort.   
  
''He was hissing, just like that boy did before I died.''   
  
Harry stopped, ''Do you remember how it sounded like?''  
  
''Like hissing.'' Myrtle reiterated.   
  
''I mean, can you repeat it?''  
  
She shrugged.   
  
Harry then tapped on the windows in from of the sinks. When that didn't work, he started to move around the faucets.   
  
But there was one that didn't work. Harry cried out in triumph, ''It's this one!''  
  
Harry's nimble fingers moved around the sink until his hand met an odd shape on the faucet. It was an imprint of a snake.   
  
Harry prayed as he stared at the snake image, 'Please let this work.'  
  
Harry concentrated on the snake as hard as he could, willing his hidden ability to rise to the surface. Within moments, Harry felt a familiar trance wash over him as he hissed for the secret passage to open up.   
  
Piece by piece the sinks, moved aside and an opening down into a large endless hold appeared before him.   
  
Harry turned to Myrtle, ''Wish me luck.''  
  
And he jumped down into the hole.   
  
''You can't find either of them?!'' Snape screamed at the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress after they informed him that two of his Slytherins were missing.   
  
Minerva winced, ''Severus, calm down.''  
  
''Potter and Malfoy's fathers will have my head! I am not going to calm down. We have to find them!''  
  
''We don't even know where to start.'' Minerva replied helplessly.   
  
Snape growled, ''They were investigating the Chamber of Secrets for week before December. Is this there any chance these two second year students could done what no one else has? Could they have found it?!''  
  
Dumbledore paled, ''It may not be the Chamber...''  
  
Snape stared at the wizened man, ''What do you mean by that?''  
  
''They ended up...'' Dumbledore gave a deep sigh, ''investigating Tom Riddle.''  
  
Minerva gave a horrified gasp, ''You don't think!''  
  
''I'm not sure...But... It is more feasible that they escaped through the forbidden forest and...'' Dumbledore continued on, but Severus stopped listening.  
  
The Potions Master put his face into his hand and gave a deep sigh. He had just failed another two students. If they were already this young and headed to join the Death Eaters...Who knew who else in his house has already been seduced.   
  
''Draco!'' Harry yelled as he ran towards the unconscious boy, lying in the pool with his deathly pale hand clutching onto the diary.   
  
''It's too late.'' A voice said from behind one of the pillars. Harry looked up and spotted a young man, who looked like a seventh year stalking towards him. But then Harry noticed the head boy badge on his clothes and the pieces started to fall into place.   
  
''Tom Riddle.'' Harry stated with no evidence of emotion.   
  
Tom smirked, ''Ah, so you know me.''  
  
Harry kept a tight and sturdy grip on his wand. ''More than I'd like.''  
  
Tom hummed in an amused manner and then cocked his head to the side, ''Well, you have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don't know yours.''  
  
''Ha – Hathro Summers.'' Harry quickly lied.   
  
Tom's eyes narrowed, ''Ah, Summers...Never heard of it. Definitely not a pureblood. Are you a mudblood?'' Tom spat out in disgust.   
  
Harry swallowed and pretended to be offended, ''Yeah, so what?!''  
  
''How did you get in here?''  
  
''It's a secret.'' Harry replied.  
  
Tom growled and his semi-corporeal form stalked over to where Harry was. Harry quickly took the book from Draco's stiff hand and tossed it away from him.   
  
Tom snorted. ''Stupid little mudblood. The link has already been formed. You can hide the book as far as you want to, but I'll still be able to drain him.''  
  
Harry stared down at the blonde, ''He's one of YOUR loyal followers. Why drain him?''  
  
Tom made a face of annoyance. ''There seemed to have been a mix up. You see, Mr. Malfoy was supposed to put my diary into Jerry Potter's possession. However, a stupid little girl somehow got a hold of it and then now Malfoy's son. It's a pity. But I need to regain my power as soon as possible. It doesn't matter. Who cares about some stupid little Death Eater's son. No one will miss him.''  
  
Then Tom's mouth curled into a cruel smile, ''His father deserves it anyways, for not making sure my diary stayed in the right hands.''  
  
Harry snorted, ''That's stupid. Taking your grudge out on the son, he didn't do anything to you.''  
  
Tom rolled his eyes, ''Like I care.''  
  
''Right. You don't care. Once you take over the world, you probably won't even mention his sacrifice.''  
  
Tom chuckled, ''Not bad, for a mudblood. Smarter than I gave you credit for. Yes, you did make it down to the Chambers too. It's a pity that you weren't smart enough to run when you had the chance.''  
  
Tom suddenly hissed something out loud and too quickly for Harry to decipher. But as he heard the sound of stones grinding in the Salazar Slytherin statue in front of him, he didn't need to guess what was going to happen.   
  
The basilisk slithered from the mouth of the Salazar statue at and quickly darted towards Harry. Harry gasped and ran in the opposite direction, keeping in mind that the basilisk could easily petrify him. Harry randomly shot out spells behind him, but they all harmlessly ricocheted off of the basilisk's impervious scales. A cold, sick feeling settled into his stomach as he stopped shooting the useless spells at the creature. He has to use another way.   
  
Soon, he spotted a myriad of tunnels and quickly darted into one of them, but the basilisk was much faster than he had expected. I was gaining on him, even while it was moving through the passageway. He could feel the sudden whooshes of wind on his back legs as the giant snake snapped at his heels.   
  
Harry quickly found an opening out of the tunnel and reappeared out into the main chamber again. Harry stopped for a moment. It was silent.  
  
Did he lose it?   
  
Suddenly he heard an enormous crashing sound above him. Seconds later, he could feel his body taken into two enormous jaws. He gave out a muffled scream into the basilisk's throat as the snake's teeth penetrated both his legs and injected them with potent poison. Then he felt nauseated as the snake swung it head up and tried to gulp him down the second time. This time he felt his numbing body falling down into the pit of the snake's stomach.   
  
At first, Harry screamed from the pain and the fact that he was in a basilisk's stomach. But slowly the poison worked through his bloodstream and he was losing oxygen.   
  
The darkness was rushing in fast. Harry gave a few more feeble punches towards the vertebrate of the snake. Then as the darkness started to close in, Harry propped his feet straight and out so that he was mostly horizontal in the snake's stomach.   
  
His last thoughts were, ''If I'm going to be eaten, I'm not going to make it easy for the damn thing.'' 


	20. chapter 20

Tom gave a satisfied laugh after watching the boy's demise, ''Stupid mudbloods, they never learn, do they?''  
  
The basilisk gave a satisfied growl, having consumed a satisfying meal.   
  
Tom slowly walked over to pet the basilisk, ''It'll only be a matter of minutes and I'll be back to my old self again.''  
  
The basilisk's lowered its head and allowed for its new master to pet it.   
  
But suddenly the basilisk made a strangled watery sound. Tom gasped and took a step back, ''What is it?''  
  
The beast curled and wailed in pain. Then it began to thrash wildly as its eyes rolled backwards as blood stared to leak from its nose and mouth. And without warning, it collapsed onto the cold stone floor.   
  
Dead.   
  
Tom screamed in rage, ''What's the meaning of this?!''  
  
The center of the basilisk's body sliced open in a grotesque manner, steaming blood leaking onto the cold floor, its insides spilling out. And from the opening a blood covered figure walked out of the creature's body in a still, almost mechanical manner.   
  
''When I become fully corporeal, you will regret this you meddling brat. I shall-''  
  
A voice that Tom had not heard before, interrupted him, ''Silence.''  
  
It was inhuman, cold, raspy and definitely not how the mudblood boy sounded like before. Tom was about to reply, but found that he couldn't. His hand quickly shot to his throat in horror and his semi-ghostly figure took a step back.   
  
The blood covered boy followed after him, step for step.   
  
Tom stopped and angrily mouthed, ''Who are you?!''  
  
''Silly little boys shouldn't play with magicks that are beyond them.'' The boy...no, thing replied.   
  
Tom summoned as much power as he could and broke the bind on his voice. Then het tried his best to stare down the boy. He reminded himself that this was probably some stupid trick that the mudblood was trying to pull, ''Little boy?! I am Lord Voldemort! How dare you insult me.''  
  
Tom dashed to the side and picked up Draco's wand. He then turned around and aimed it at Harry ''Avada Kevadra!''  
  
The green deadly light headed towards Harry, but a split second before, split down the center and continued to harmlessly travel away from the younger boy.   
  
Tom paled, ''It can't be. That was...It must be because I'm still a ghost.''  
  
Then he stopped speaking as he realized something he hadn't seen before, the boy's eyes were completely white. Just like how the Malfoy boy had described. Tom's attitude suddenly changed, ''Oh! I didn't realize it was you. Young Malfoy told me of you power. I hadn't realized that he was telling the truth. I applaud your skill.   
  
Harry gave a dark laugh.  
  
''You would be a great asset to-'' Tom babbled.  
  
But during this time, Harry knelt down and picked up the diary. And without warning, a red flame came from the palm of his hands and started to consume the book. Tom's words were never finished as he let out a strangled scream of pain and disappeared as the book turned to dust.   
  
Finally, as Tom's dying screams echoing through the chamber, Harry collapsed to the ground unconscious, never realizing what had happened.   
  
Harry choked as he woke up to the sickening smell of blood. Then he reached out and touched his sticky face. Harry quickly rushed over to the pool besides Draco and washed off his face frantically while muttering, ''Merlin, that's disgusting.''  
  
After he mostly cleaned his face and tossed his outer robes away, he looked around, confused. ''Where is...?''  
  
He first identified that the basilisk was dead, seeing how it was lying there right in front of him with its stomach sliced open. Harry made a face as he backed away; the smell coming from the reptile's corpse was putrid. He looked back and forth for any sign of Tom and he was about to search the entire Chamber when he noticed the large pile of ash on the ground beside Draco.   
  
Harry assumed it was the diary, because although Draco was still unconscious, he was breathing normally and a more normal color had returned to his face. Harry stood there and then asked to no one, ''What happened?''  
  
He had wanted to investigate the chamber some more, but the fact that Draco was still unconscious and Harry's legs were feeling very odd from the poison, was probably a bad thing, so Harry quickly picked up his fellow Slytherin and carried him on his back, heading the way he came from.   
  
Harry weakly muttered as he continued to exit the labyrinth, ''You really need to stop eating all those chocolate frogs. God you're a lot heavier than you look.''  
  
Then he finally came to the opening, which was long slid down from the bathroom sinks. He gave a weak groan, ''You've got to be kidding me/ I can't even feel my feet anymore. I can't climb that.''  
  
But he still tried. He retied Draco's loose robed around himself and Draco, which was how he was keeping the blonde from falling off. And he slowly, very slowly climbed up the sliding tunnel he had come down from.   
  
It felt like hours. It probably was, since Harry found himself sweating like crazy from exerting so much strength climbing and carrying Draco when he really had no more energy to give. He could feel that same dark fuzziness seeping over him.   
  
Harry then started to call out as best as he could, ''Help! Somebody please help! Draco and I are stuck down here!''  
  
Harry has expected no one to come, but someone did. Unfortunately, it was Myrtle and she couldn't help carry Draco or Harry back to the entrance.   
  
Harry weakly muttered to Myrtle. ''You have to find someone to help. Please... I think the poison... is... killing me... Hurry.''  
  
For once, Myrtle looked serious and quickly darted upward as fast as she could, given her ghostly abilities.   
  
But Harry was already blacking out again, before he closed his eyes, he hoped that he would be able to open them again.   
  
''Hey!'' A voice shouted close to him. Harry jolted awake and stared up at black blob. But when he tried to focus the world seemed to mesh together into a strange swirl of grays and blacks.  
  
Harry made a face, ''Who? I ...''  
  
''Lumos.'' Harry heard the boy say in a baritone voice.  
  
The boy was checking his eyes with his wand, ''Merlin! Keep still, you're eyes aren't supposed to be that color and they're dilated really badly.''  
  
Harry's head lolled. The swirls were sort of orangish now, like many orange and yellow snakes dancing near a blackish blob.   
  
Harry muttered, ''Draco.''  
  
''Don't worry about him, he's just unconscious and he's probably better off than you at the moment. Okay, I want you to stay awake, can you do that for me?''  
  
Harry's eyes were fluttering again and he whimpered. The darkness felt so good.   
  
Then he felt a sharp slap onto his face, ''Hey! Stay awake! If you don't, I can't carry you and your friend at the same time!''  
  
Harry nodded, and tried to stare up at the tunnel above him. He felt himself shuffled around as the boy put him back down so he could tie Draco to his back using the same robes the Harry had used to do the same thing. Then he felt himself lifted up by two strong, but straining arms.   
  
''By the way, I'm Cedric Diggory, one of the Hufflepuff prefects.'' The boy said before starting out of the tunnel.   
  
Harry was still awake when Cedric climbed back out, but the pain was getting worse, he could feel his lunge collapsing and he started to make pained wheezing sound. Harry could hear Cedric cry out in distress, ''No no no! Don't do that! Come one, hang in there! I'll get the both of you to the hospital wing! Just hang on!''  
  
Harry blindly groped the air, like he was reaching for air to breathe in.   
  
Then he heard Cedric screaming, ''Dammit Myrtle! Where are the teacher's?!''  
  
Then Cedric saw the door slam open with three disheveled teachers and the Headmaster.   
  
Snape was the first one by Cedric's side and he was pulling Harry out of his arms. Cedric quickly instructed him, ''The one on my back is mostly okay. This one needs to be in intensive care. He's been poisoned really badly, I think his lungs just gave out. His eyes are a strange pale violet color and his veins are protruding out and are black colored. ''  
  
Without missing a beat, Snape quickly put Harry into stasis and ran towards the hospital wing with the Headmaster in tow as fast as he could.   
  
Flitwitck then untied Draco and levitated him off of Cedric's back and followed after Snape and Dumbledore to the hospital wing.   
  
Mrs. McGonagall was the only one left and she helped an exhausted Cedric to his feet, ''Are you alright?''  
  
Cedric replied in between pants, ''Yeah, .. I found them about halfway down. I think Harry climbed up most of the way, that's probably why he's in such bad shape. I really hope he'll be okay.''  
  
Mrs. McGonagall nodded and then put a hand on Cedric's back, ''Thank you.''  
  
Cedric shrugged, ''It's nothing, part of being a prefect right?''  
  
Mrs. McGonagall gave the Hufflepuff boy a watery smile, ''Two hundred points to Hufflepuff for your bravery.''  
  
Harry stayed in intensive care for nearly two weeks. At some point he had been shipped over to St. Mungo's where they had to drain his entire body of blood to get rid of the poison, which then had given the entire surgery staff a huge scare when his heart stopped. But luckily, they were able to work fast, put in clean blood, and re-enervate his body.   
  
Lily stayed at the hospital night and day and nearly had a breakdown when she heard the flatline for a few minutes.   
  
For once, James stopped being a prat and prayed to every deity to be kinder to his younger son if he got out of this alive.   
  
And Jerry secretly felt horrible, especially when the Headmaster had retrieved what had happened from Draco after the Slytherin had woken up. Jerry knew that he should have never given Ginny that diary. He hadn't even looked at it, but he thought that she might like him if he gave her something. Girls liked to be given stuff. But at the same time he argued that it wasn't his fault, he had found it with the books that Lockhart had given to him! And Malfoy shouldn't have stolen it from her... well, not that he wanted 'this' to happen to her.  
  
Despite denial of ever giving Jerry the journal, Lockhart still resigned from his position of DADA for next year. Lockhart claimed that he had a tour coming up, which was why he was leaving, but the Hogwarts staff seriously doubted that.   
  
Malfoy's dad had been furious the first day when both Draco and Harry had been taken St. Mungo's and he was informed of his son's condition. He threatened to have Dumbledore sacked or to file a lawsuit against the school. But in the end, when Draco woke up, they had traded words and any mention of holding the school or Dumbledore had completely ceased.   
  
Snape, was both worried and relieved. Worried that one of his charges wouldn't make it, but relieved that the two boys hadn't gone to Voldemort like Dumbledore had suggested.   
  
Harry woke up on Friday. Eleven days since he was admitted to St. Mungo's. His sight was blurry at first, but he was able identify someone was in the room, so he whisper hoarsely, ''w-water''  
  
The figure moved over to the table quickly, and retrieved a cup and a straw for him. After Harry took a few sips and closed his eyes, he asked, ''Where am I?''  
  
''You're at St. Mungo's honey.''  
  
Harry opened his eyes again, just a little, ''Mom?''  
  
He felt a cool kiss touch his brow and light hug.   
  
''How long?'' Harry asked after Lily at back down.  
  
''Ten days.''  
  
''Wow.'' Harry whispered, then he brow furrowed, ''Draco...''  
  
''He's okay, he woke up a while ago.''  
  
''That's good. What'd he say?''  
  
''Not much. He said he had this journal and he blacked out in the common room. He doesn't know what happened. Do you honey?''  
  
Harry nodded, ''I'll tell you after I don't feeling like rain of bludgers hit me. Is it okay if I go back to sleep?.. nn... still tired.''  
  
Lily patted his hand, ''Go ahead honey, I'll be here when you wake up.''  
  
The next time Harry woke up, a large group of people were in his room. Everyone from Sirius to Snape to the Headmaster wished him well and finally he was left with Draco. Harry asked his mom for a few moments with him.   
  
Draco pulled up a chair and stared at Harry intently, ''What happened?''  
  
Harry was a bit surprised, he thought he had a few more days to mull over what he wanted to say, but it was obvious the Slytherin wanted to know now.   
  
Harry sighed and told Draco everything he could remember. He even mentioned blacking out and then reawaking with the dead basilisk and Tom Riddle nowhere to be seen. Draco paled considerably when he said this.   
  
Then Harry gave a deep sigh and turned to retrieve something from the tray of things they had gotten out of his tattered robes. Harry held out Draco's hand and put the item in his hand.   
  
It was the watch.   
  
Draco's face fell even more, ''It was my fault for dragging you into this. I guess I can understand.''  
  
Harry shook his head, ''No, that's not what I meant. I still want us to be friends Draco.''  
  
''Then why are you returning the watch?''  
  
''After you gave it to me, I put even more protection spells on it, as many as I could find. Because I had every intention of giving it back to you. Draco, I can't tell you which side to choose. But if you intend on staying on the same path as you are on now, I seriously think you need as much protection as you can get. Voldemort isn't who you think he is. I told you what he said in the Chamber, he doesn't care about anyone but himself. Keep that in mind.''  
  
Draco was silent, staring intently at the watch, with a resigned weigh on him. He whispered, ''I can't not obey my father, Potter.''   
  
''So you're willing to do whatever he says, no matter how horrible. No matter if they don't even care about your well being? How can you be sure Voldemort won't try to sacrifice you again?'' Harry asked gloomily.  
  
''I don't want to be disowned.'' Draco replied. ''My family, what my father has taught me, it's all I've ever known.''  
  
Harry gave a resigned sigh, ''Just be careful okay? And if things get really bad, please get out before it's too late.''  
  
Draco put the watch into his pocket and stood up to leave. But before he walked away he said, ''I'll keep that in mind.''  
  
It was the most Harry could hope for.  
  
End Year Two.   
  



End file.
